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Finisher #561 to complete the list
1089
Albums Rated
3.07
Average Rating
100%
Complete
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2010s
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Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
78
5-Star Albums
27
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Grand Don't Come For Free | 5 | 2.67 | +2.33 |
| 69 Love Songs | 5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
| Good Old Boys | 5 | 2.86 | +2.14 |
| The Dreaming | 5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
| Sail Away | 5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
| Ghosteen | 5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
| In It For The Money | 5 | 3.23 | +1.77 |
| High Violet | 5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
| Rum Sodomy & The Lash | 5 | 3.25 | +1.75 |
| The Seldom Seen Kid | 5 | 3.26 | +1.74 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diamond Life | 1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
| Kind Of Blue | 2 | 4.06 | -2.06 |
| Rhythm Nation 1814 | 1 | 2.99 | -1.99 |
| Smokers Delight | 1 | 2.91 | -1.91 |
| Kick Out The Jams (Live) | 1 | 2.91 | -1.91 |
| Maxwell's Urban Hang Suite | 1 | 2.9 | -1.9 |
| World Clique | 1 | 2.87 | -1.87 |
| Live / Dead | 1 | 2.83 | -1.83 |
| Club Classics Vol. One | 1 | 2.82 | -1.82 |
| Happy Trails | 1 | 2.8 | -1.8 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 6 | 4.5 |
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 5 |
| Simon & Garfunkel | 3 | 4.67 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.67 |
| Beatles | 7 | 4.14 |
| Supergrass | 2 | 5 |
| Randy Newman | 2 | 5 |
| The Smashing Pumpkins | 2 | 5 |
| Green Day | 2 | 5 |
| Talking Heads | 4 | 4.25 |
| Blur | 3 | 4.33 |
| Kate Bush | 3 | 4.33 |
| Johnny Cash | 3 | 4.33 |
| Led Zeppelin | 5 | 4 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 5 | 4 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Grateful Dead | 2 | 1.5 |
| Everything But The Girl | 2 | 1.5 |
| Frank Sinatra | 3 | 2 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Neil Young & Crazy Horse | 2, 3, 5 |
| Nick Drake | 2, 5, 4 |
5-Star Albums (78)
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Popular Reviews
5/5
Always a pleasure to listen to this. The generator will have to get up pretty early in the morning to find a better opener/closer combo than Five Years and Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide.
And then there’s Moonage Daydream, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City, Starman…
Let all the children boogie, I say.
33 likes
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Will this be the album where I finally get the hype around The Rolling Stones...?? Nope.
18 tracks and none of them really excited me. Shine a Light at a push. It's all fine, if you fancy an hour of competent bluesy rock & roll, but 'competent' alone will only get you 2.5 stars, tops.
24 likes
5/5
6 year old me, just getting into football after initially hating it, played and lost his first ever penalty shootout one evening at Beavers (almost entirely down to Daniel's pathetically statuesque performance in net - cheers Daniel). As the credits rolled on this tragic, so-near-yet-so-far defeat, the melody to Don't Look Back In Anger inexplicably started playing in my head. I didn't know the words, what it was called, or who it was by, but I tried humming it to my mum, who reckoned it might be an old song about flamingoes.
Incredibly, when I unwrapped a CD-shaped present on Christmas Day that year, it wasn't the flamingo song but WTSMG. I was finally able to put a name to my glorious failure anthem. But wait! There's that Roll With It song that the kids at school are always trying to sing! I recognise this 'Wonderwall' tune too!
And that's the story of my first ever album. It began a love affair with music and losing penalty shootouts that remains to this day.
20 likes
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
Millions of streams on Spotify, Grammy awards, a place on the 1001 albums list, and yet I’d never heard of Jazmine Sullivan.
Am I so out of touch…? No. It’s the children who are wrong.
19 likes
Nightmares On Wax
1/5
Like being on hold to the bank's customer service helpline for an hour and a quarter.
1.5
17 likes
1-Star Albums (27)
All Ratings
Foo Fighters
3/5
Turns out I never listened to this one all the way through before. It's very lo-fi! Can hear Nirvana and future Foos in different places. Particularly enjoyed the combo of Good Grief and Floaty in the middle.
I'd rate it a 3.5 if I could but these are the greatest albums of ALL TIME were talking about so I'm marking harsh.
The Byrds
3/5
Bit hit and miss; weird mix of styles, covers etc. Jangly AF. Eight Miles High is still a tune and I do like What's Happening?
The Who
3/5
Tricky one to judge. As a live album I think it ticks most of the boxes (good musicianship, some tight segues between tracks, English rock band bantz) but the setlist is a little hit and miss for me (a lot of my favourite Who songs came later), and I have to be in the right mood to enjoy the extended classic rock jams.
It's gonna have to be another 3.5. Which means another 3. Despite bonus points for Happy Jack.
David Bowie
4/5
Hadn't realised the second half was all instrumental. I dig it. I think I'd enjoy whatever imaginary film it's a soundtrack to. Also, Sound and Vision is one of my favourites and worth big points on its own. FOUR STARS.
Sarah Vaughan
2/5
Was I charmed by the old-timey crowd noise from intimate club setting and Sarah's ad-libbing on 'Willow Weep For Me'? Sure. Do I sometimes enjoy a bit of smooth jazz and pretend to be sophisticated? You betcha.
Can I separate this album from all the other smooth jazz albums? And will I revisit it? Probably not, on both counts. My loss, I'm sure.
Iggy Pop
3/5
An enjoyable slice of sludge-rock. Parts of it sound like a QOTSA prototype (e.g. Mass Production), & also Bowie-esque, for obvious reasons. I like Iggy's voice and his lyrics, so lots of pros... but I don't think it veers into 'greatness' territory very often. Mainly just vibez.
3.5 or whatever.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
2/5
Got a bit bored, especially in the second half, and some songs dragged a bit. To be fair, there are some good'uns, like Simple Man, and if this album came on while I was in a bar in the southern US of A it's probably exactly what I'd want to hear.
Most of the time I'm not, though. 2.5 stars.
The Soft Boys
3/5
Never heard of these Soft Boys before, but they made a good first impression. A bit like an 70s/80s Supergrass.
Big points for the batshit lyrics, and decent blend of singalong-ability & post-punky experimentation. 3.5.
Buck Owens
2/5
Harmless toe-tappin' fun.
If there was a prize for 'earliest mention of the album title within the album', this would win.
Ananda Shankar
3/5
The covers are fun, but what I really enjoyed was the second half. This isn't something I'd usually say, but if the 13 minute jam (Sagar) had been the whole album I would've given it 4 stars. I felt like I had a little trip to another world, and that was just sitting at my desk in the office...
2/5
I usually like Brazilian music but really struggled to connect with this for some reason. The beats got more interesting and inventive as the album went on, so it *just about* scrapes a second star.
Neil Young
3/5
Enjoyed this more the second time after reading up a on a bit of context. Certain songs 'hit harder', as the kids says.
I'm now willing to give this a hefty promotion to a 3.5. I reckon there's probably a better Neil Young album out there, though.
Fats Domino
3/5
Very enjoyable New Orleans grooves that hook you in instantly. The more raucous they are the better IMO, for that street parade kinda feel. Can't work out if I've heard Blueberry Hill before but it's got the feel of a timeless classic to it.
A genre I wouldn't choose to listen to very often, but when I do maybe this'll be my go-to album. 3.5.
The Only Ones
2/5
It's fine. Think I've got a bit of 70s guitar album fatigue at the moment though - couldn't really get excited by anything on here except Another Girl, Another Planet, which might earn it a 2.5.
Napalm Death
1/5
This is tricky, because I have huge respect for any band that can cram 28 tracks into 33 minutes. I'm also convinced that Napalm Death have absolutely nailed whatever the hell it was they were trying to achieve here. Plus, I had a smile on my face throughout most of it, *particularly* enjoying You Suffer. Would probably be a great live experience, until my eardrums exploded.
But then again, there aren't really even any decent riffs.
Ultimately, it's a 1.5, or '1' for short. If not now, when...?!
Malcolm McLaren
3/5
So the Sex Pistols manager made an album that sounds like it inspired Eminem, Paul Simon, Pixies, The Avalanches and more. Wild. Even the 'radio show' format has been used a lot since.
Some of it's genuinely enjoyable, the rest is at least interesting as an experiment. A nice discovery.
Steely Dan
3/5
Like a jazzier Thin Lizzy. Sometimes the groovy noodling got a bit tiresome and aimless, although there are some strong vocal hooks that stuck in my head too. When King of the World finished Spotify played it again, and I let it. That speaks poorly of Spotify's algorithms but highly of the track, I think.
I never reached ecstasy, but to be fair this album only ever promised a countdown. The pressure's on the next album to provide it though.
Steely Dan
3/5
This was supposed to be the ecstasy after the countdown... :-/
The move to shorter, more focused songs without the flab was nice, and I liked the earthy, old-timey vibes of East St Louis Toodle-Oo, With a Gun, Charlie Freak etc. But the more traditional song-writing does mean this album doesn't stand out from the pack as much as the previous one did, for better or worse.
I'll give it 3 stars anyway because I do like the album title.
Elvis Presley
2/5
Apparently it changed rock'n'roll forever, but it's all covers... Pleasant enough to listen to though. Fella's got a good voice.
I give it a treasonous 2.5 stars.
Prefab Sprout
2/5
Some of the tracks feature a particular brand of generic 80s production that depresses the hell out of me and I instantly thought we were in 1 star territory.
But I listened again and realised that was a bit harsh. The songwriting seems pretty strong and there's more going on than I gave it credit for at first.
Faron Young and Goodbye Lucille #1 are good choons. 2.5 stars.
Genesis
3/5
So. Very. Proggy.
One day isn't really enough to get my head around this, there's so much to unpack.
On paper it could easily be terrible but I think I actually quite like it. It's ambitious and cinematic and quirky, and there are sections of music I really got into for a moment... before the album took yet another left-turn into a 4 minute instrumental bridge or folk interlude.
Also, shout-out to Philip Collins for the best drumming performance on the list so far.
The Roots
3/5
First and foremost, it's great to see Nelly Furtado make an appearance on this list.
I enjoyed the album, especially the more 'bandy' tracks like The Seed, but the variety was welcome too. The jazzy weirdness of Something In The Way Of Things sounds like something Kendrick Lamar would do these days (yeah that's right, I'm a hip-hop expert).
A solid 3 or even 3.5.
Elvis Costello
4/5
Is this only because I haven't given a 4 star review in ages? Probably. But I'm sick of giving 3s and 3.5s.
A solid collection of pop'n'rock'n'rollers with catchy melodies, enthusiastically sung. And some days that's enough, y'know?
The generator spitting out 'Welcome To The Working Week' on a Monday morning was a lovely touch.
Sisters Of Mercy
3/5
I don’t know where these vampires came from, but I sure do like their vampire music.
3.5
5/5
Always a pleasure to listen to this. The generator will have to get up pretty early in the morning to find a better opener/closer combo than Five Years and Rock ‘n’ Roll Suicide.
And then there’s Moonage Daydream, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City, Starman…
Let all the children boogie, I say.
Butthole Surfers
2/5
Hmmm. At first I thought this group was gonna sound like an early Bloodhound Gang, but then it seemed like they were trying to make the album Napalm Death were about to make that same year. They bottled it though, by including a couple of actual tunes and a bit of musicality.
I listened to some of their later stuff and it's a LOT more accessible - a little like an early Bloodhound gang...
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
3/5
It was quite hard to take this seriously at first as it sounds exactly like a Look Around You parody of early rap. I’ll all for a positive message but the song about wanting to meet Stevie Wonder is a bit… odd?
By the time it reached the title track though (and some of the expanded edition extras) it seemed like Flash had figured out the genre and laid a bit of a blueprint for socially conscious rappers of the future. Includes some probably-very-influential hip-hop production too.
Spiritualized
3/5
I gave Spiritualized a quick go a few years back and remember the songs being spacey and dreamy but forgot how noisy they are too.
I guess to build these giant soundscapes and moods you're gonna sacrifice a bit in variation and song structure - which isn't ideal when the album lasts 70 minutes - but there are also times when it really hits the spot.
Definitely worthy of a place on the list, I can't think of another album that combines the orchestral elements, band elements and general noise in the same way.
Coldplay
3/5
Probably on album I actually appreciate more now than at the time - maybe because of the music they make these days? The hooks are strong and the bass and guitar parts compliment each other nicely.
Don't Panic and Shiver are underrated early singles.
There are hints (Everything's Not Lost) of Coldplay becoming *too* bland, and the lyrics too banal, to really enjoy, but in general I don't mind of bit of melodic soft-rock.
It's not a masterpiece but it remains one of their better efforts.
3.5. Deal with it.
Hookworms
3/5
It's in the same vein as a lot of my favourite music from the past decade so no surprise I enjoyed this too.
I'm not sure it's necessarily better or more important than other similar albums that probably aren't on this list though. 3.5.
Marty Robbins
4/5
I love the really classic western songs like Big Iron and The Master's Call, and the fact that Robbins wrote these is a bonus.
Even the more pedestrian, country style tunes are carried by good storytelling, strong lead vocals and nice harmonies. My favourite 50s album so far!
Elvis Presley
2/5
I like Elvis' music, but I think he's more of a singles guy...
I preferred the mix of styles on this one to the debut but it's another 2.5.
Motörhead
3/5
Iconic title track, but most of the others are a bit generic. Reliable, grizzled, up-tempo hard-rock that's fun for a while but very samey.
Heaven 17
4/5
Maybe a little generous but I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. Fascist Groove Thang is great and although it lost me around tracks 3-4, the likes of Let's All Make A Bomb and The Height of the Fighting hooked me back in. It's very 80s in some ways but also still manages to sound futuristic to me.
Pere Ubu
2/5
Couple o' nice grooves, but it mainly sounds like some folks jamming/fooling around in the studio. Which is fine, though I wouldn't say it makes for a 'great' album.
Marilyn Manson
3/5
Never really listened to Marilyn Manson before - probably too creeped out. Maybe if I'd got past that as an impressionable teen I would've really bought into the whole package, image & disturbing lyrics and all, but that ship has long sailed.
Having said that, strip away the shock and the music's pretty good. Some angsty heavy rock anthems but also a few surprising left-turns and inventive sounds (thanks Trent Reznor, I guess?)
3.5
Public Enemy
3/5
Got the feeling from listening to this (then reading about it) that this is a good rather than a great Public Enemy album. The very 90s production is a bit relentless - makes it hard to pick any standouts after the first couple of listens.
Also, some of Chuck D's verses seem to go on for about 3 minutes... which is impressive, but again, a lot to take in in one day.
ZZ Top
3/5
Fairly standard MOR rockers, some better than others. 'Legs' is a nice change of direction, and I'm fascinated by the fact they stopped thinking about sex for just long enough to write a song about TV dinners.
The Undertones
3/5
There’s nothing as good as Teenage Kicks on here, or anything that stands out as a ‘must hear’. It’s not bad though.
Most memorable moment:
“He thinks that I'm a cabbage / 'cause I hate University Challenge”
Slint
2/5
It deserves to be on this list as it’s a pretty unique sound, even now. The spidery guitars and unnerving vocals make it all very tense and atmospheric.
But do the spoken vocals really need to be so quiet?? It takes physical effort to hear what’s being said, which is annoying. 2.5 stars.
Supergrass
5/5
Ah, childhood memories. I've got so much time for Supergrass, especially the first two albums. It's always catchy but also at times heavy, quirky, sophisticated, and most of all a lot of fun. A band who really knows the power of a good chord change.
The guitar solo on Late In The Day is an all-time favourite - always makes me smile/shiver.
4.5, but I'm rounding up this time (nostalgia bias innit).
Fleet Foxes
2/5
Fleet Foxes are a band I think I should like but have never really managed to get into, aside from a few songs here and there.
It's clearly a cohesive debut album and nice enough, but I found it pretty bland and not very memorable. Maybe it would reward further listens?
2.5.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
I didn't properly appreciate Nine Inch Nails until a few years ago but I now think they/he are excellent. The sound design is always first rate.
There's a lot of noise but that's usually underpinned by a strong groove or melody. Definitely music to get lost in. And obviously it's bleak AF, so there's points for that...
I'll give it a 4 or 4.5. I don't think it maintains the same quality over the whole 65 minutes, but then it isn't easy to match classics like Closer and Hurt.
Van Morrison
3/5
More smooth 'n' soulful that I was expecting. Not entiiiiirely my cup of tea but it's got a kind of classic feel about it.
Is Glad Tidings supposed to sound so much like Brown Eyed Girl...?
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Starts strongly - I think Gimme Shelter is probably the Stones' best track. Then it goes kinda country for quite a while before Monkey Man ushers in a strong ending. I enjoyed it, but not sure what sets it apart as an all-time classic. Maybe the album art?
3.5
The Cure
3/5
Not familiar with this one. It seems to be in the same style as Disintegration (long, dense, brooding tracks that don't offer a lot of variety but are big on atmosphere), though not quite as good. File under 'need to be in the right mood to get the most out of it.'
Def Leppard
2/5
Hearing a couple of these tracks on an 80s movie soundtrack or in a karaoke bar is all very well and good. A whole hour of them is a bit much though.
2.5
Thin Lizzy
3/5
Urgh. I'm never sure how to rate live albums. There are a handful of top-tier Thin Lizzy bangers on here that deserve recognition. The transition from Cowboy Song to TBAIT is *chef's kiss*. Then there are half a dozen tracks that are kinda forgettable (though I prefer listening to this band's 'forgettable' over most 70s rock bands' 'forgettable').
I gave Live at Leeds 3.5 and I think I enjoyed this more. However, it's not all recorded at one show (and apparently there's some debate about how live it is in the first place), so that spoils the experience a bit for me. Another 3.5 it is then.
Billy Bragg
3/5
I know Billy Bragg a bit but Wilco and Woody Guthrie very little, and I definitely didn't know these albums existed. So this was an interesting little find.
I really enjoyed a few tracks (mainly the Bragg compositions). Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key is my highlight.
Taylor Swift
4/5
Very thoughtful of the generator to remind me of my age on my birthday.
It's wall-to-wall pop bangers, innit? Over time I have come to first accept, and then welcome, the reign of our new all-powerful country/pop/indie-folk overlord. Some of her other albums lack consistency but most of these tracks sound like hit singles.
The Saints
3/5
There doesn’t seem to be much that’s special or interesting about this (apart from the couple of tracks featuring horns - definitely under-utilised!) so I’m not sure why it’s on the list.
That said, I didn’t dislike it in any way; it’s decent for what it is. So that means… 2.5? 3?
Paul Simon
5/5
I was introduced to this as a child and still listen to it regularly, especially on hot summer days. The lyrics are great and the music is joyous, and it still sounds fresh after all these years. The blend of African and American music was clearly very influential on future artists.
The Stone Roses
4/5
I've always thought there was a disconnect between the Stone Roses' lad-rock following and the kind of music they actually made.
I also thought they were largely overrated - just accomplished musicians with a few good tunes and a few dull ones. That may still be true, but I'm happy to concede that this is a strong album. I still think I Wanna Be Adored and I Am The Resurrection are clear stand-outs but the jangly stuff in between has grown on me too.
The Everly Brothers
2/5
Nice enough. Can see how the vocal harmonising on songs like Love Hurts would've influenced The Beatles. Though I get the impression that even when this album was released it wasn't particularly groundbreaking.
Beatles
3/5
An album built on a foundation of traditional rock'n'roll, but with added minor chords, pop hooks and rougher edges. Mark these boys as 'ones to watch'.
The Band
3/5
I've heard big things about The Band but only ever knew The Weight (which is worth a couple of stars on its own). I didn't realise they wrote This Wheel's On Fire too, though I think I prefer the Julie Driscoll version. Also, I listened to In A Station while in a station, which I think is commitment to the art.
The musicianship is strong and it's got a rich sound, very evocative of the late 60s. But it doesn't have enough about it to lift it above the 3.5 masses for me.
PJ Harvey
4/5
There's something in the instrumentation that compliments the subject matter perfectly. That autoharp has a ghostly quality about it that makes me thing of old-timey soldiers trudging off to war, and rugged, wintry English countryside.
Not every track is a galáctico (The Last Living Rose and On Battleship Hill are my favourites) but as a self-contained album it's more the sum of its parts. 4.5.
Alanis Morissette
5/5
I think this still holds up well. A few lines are a bit clunky but that was probably always part of the appeal anyway - Alanis laying her individuality and attitude out there, no effs given. And there are some cracking 90s alt-rock tunes to boot.
4.5, but I'll round up. It's what my sister would want.
Also, I've just found out Flea features on this record. Every day's a school day.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
I'm a fan of Tom Petty's brand of no-frills heartland rockers, but there aren't too many bangers on here, except for the grand daddy of all Petty bangers at the end. And maybe Breakdown.
Aerosmith
3/5
Blimey, Aerosmith have been going for ages. This wasn’t half bad actually, entertaining and more varied than I expected. 3.whatever.
The Police
3/5
I grew up listening to 'The Police - Their Greatest Hits' so I'm well familiar with Every Breath You Take, King of Pain and Wrapped Around Your Finger. These are Good Songs (the first two especially) and put a couple of stars in the bank early doors.
But what about the rest of the album? Well, Kent, it's a mixed bag, both in style and quality. Synchronicity I is a good start. Then there's a song about dinosaurs which, it seems, heavily influenced the Dino Dino Jungle soundtrack in Mario Kart. There's some 80s funk stuff, a jazzy number to finish, and 'Mother', which is a real contender for the most mental track the generator has thrown up so far. Andy Summers, you weirdo!
Predictable it ain't. But, all in all, not nearly as good as the greatest hits.
EDIT: I've listened a couple more times. Now trying to decide if it's actually a work of genius. Well, is it??
3.5
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I know this is usually the LZ album that appears on 'greatest albums' lists, but I didn't realise just how many classics they crammed on here. It's also a good touchpoint for a lot of their different styles: rocky, folky, bluesy, Stairway to Heaven-y. It's not perfect but it's still worth 5 stars.
Neil Young
3/5
I wanted/expected to rate this higher but can't quite justify it. For every well-crafted country nugget like Heart of Gold or The Needle and the Damage Done there's a meandering plodder that just doesn't excite me. The closing track is nice though - there's half a great album here...
John Prine
3/5
John Prine was clearly all about the lyrics, and it's evident from a couple of listens to this that even as a young man he was a cut above most other writers. There's empathy and humour and some knockout couplets, plus he tackles more interesting subject matters than your average schmuck.
Musically it's very pedestrian though and while that helps to bring out the words, I can't honestly say it's an album I will keep coming back to. A respectful 3 stars.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
Apparently this was *the* first album of the whole gloomy, post-punk genre, so kudos (and an extra half a star) for that. Would've preferred if they leant into that weirdness even more though - half of it sounds like plain ol' regular punk.
I liked: the hypnotic 5/4 groove of Overground.
I disliked: the Helter Skelter cover. Doesn't work imo.
2.5
Sepultura
2/5
More musical value than Napalm Death. Less comedy value though.
The Cardigans
4/5
Underrated band. I prefer the darker sound of Gran Turismo but this is a decent album too. Sweet, smart, sugary Swedish indie-pop goodness, and they've put some effort into the sequencing too which hasn't gone unnoticed by this reviewer.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
A smorgasbord of mega choons: Purple Haze, The Wind Cries Mary, Fire, and (my personal favourite) Hey Joe. Some definite filler, especially if you include the bonus tracks, but there are extra points for this album's undoubted influence on the history of guitar music. 4/4.5 - that sort of thing.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
I have it in my head, rightly or wrongly, that Frank Sinatra was a bit of a douche, but I'll try not to let that cloud my judgement.
Pros: His voice is pleasant and I enjoy the big band flourishes. Also, it made me feel appropriately festive despite not being a Christmas album.
Cons: Each time I listened I lost interest by about halfway out of sheer sameyness. And as with Elvis, I just can't bring myself to score an album of covers very highly. Plus, I think Sinatra might've been a bit of a douche?
2.5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
So there IS a studio version of No Woman No Cry!
I do like a bit of Bob. This particular album didn't do that much for me at first, though I got into the groove a little more with each listen. Might revisit one day.
Anita Baker
2/5
I really, really don't get along with this type of music. I won't give it one star because 'Sweet Love' is a good song and because objectively it's probably not that bad... it's a close-run thing though.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
Incredible that in the same year as Bowie's Blackstar another legendary artist released an album days before his death, apparently in the knowledge that it would be his last, and delivered it with such poise.
Both the darker and the more soulful numbers therefore come with added gravitas, (helped by Cohen's badass old man voice ofc), and his gift for dispensing great wisdom in pithy phrases is evident throughout. 'As he died to make men holy, let us die to make things cheap'. Yep.
4.5
Kanye West
4/5
When I was a lad, and failed presidential candidate West was just a rapper and producer, I bought the Twista album which also had Slow Jamz on it. That album is rightfully nowhere near this list, and I probably should've bought this one instead - it's much better. Plenty of good tracks that seamlessly skip between styles and themes.
The album goes on too long, but as it's Christmas week I'll still give it 4 festive stars.
Suede
3/5
I was with friends in a Wetherspoons in Bristol when a large, middle-aged man with earphones in came and sat next to me at our table, uninvited. After a few uncomfortable minutes I asked him what he was listening to. He leaned over and said 'We Are The Pigs', before sticking one of the earphones in my ear. That was my first introduction to this album, I guess.
Anyway... I used to mistrust Suede for no particular reason, before getting into them in my mid-20s. This album isn't their most britpop-y or accessible - it's darker and more cinematic. 'Stately', I'd say.
I like the abrasive guitars of WATP and This Hollywood Life, and the melodic The Wild Ones. Stay Together is the best of the bunch though I don't think it's technically part of the album...
Actually I like most of it, but I can see that it's a bit overblown and does drag somewhat, especially towards the end.
Pixies
3/5
SHOCKED to discover there's a Pixies song longer than 5 minutes.
It's an entertaining listen for sure, but I wouldn't say an essential one. After releasing Doolittle the previous year it feels like they might've phoned this one in juuuust a little. 3.5.
Donovan
2/5
More sitar-y than that album that was entirely sitar, somehow.
Had high hopes as Donovan created some of the grooviest tracks of the swinging 60s; bit disappointed he didn't tap into those vibes for the whole album. Too much of a free spirit, I guess.
2.5
Various Artists
3/5
I'm starting to have doubts that the generator is as random as it says it is...
I ain't gonna be no Scrooge McDuck about this album, it's good old-fashioned festive fun for all the family. A few of these recordings still seem to be the definitive versions that get played nowadays.
Television
3/5
First few tracks seemed a bit meh. Then 8 and half minutes into the title track I realised that actually something a bit out of the ordinary was going on, and enjoyed the rest of the album from that point. I can believe that in 1977 this was a bit of a game-changer for guitar music.
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
Always liked Simon & Garfunkel but was still surprised by how much I enjoyed this, given they have other, better regarded albums.
Good melodies, good harmonies, good lyrics. More up-tempo stuff than I expected. Traditional folk but still buzzing with creativity. Feelin' Groovy is a childhood favourite of mine.
A very pleasant way to spend 28 minutes.
Ian Dury
3/5
Bit of fun innit - something a little different. Some infectious grooves and I find the accent quite endearing.
Bon Jovi
3/5
Another hair metal album that treads the fine line between enjoyable and crap.
It's My Life is my Bon Jovi guilty pleasure of choice but You Give Love A Bad Name is a close second.
2.5 / 3
Aphex Twin
2/5
More mellow than the Aphex Twin I thought I (vaguely) knew. Inoffensive, and some of it's very pretty (Xtal & Heliosphan stood out), but I can only really imagine playing the whole album again as background music.
If it came out today (and it sounds like it could've done) it'd be a 2, but 30 years ago it must've been pretty revolutionary, so am considering a 3 for impact.
Let's say 2.5.
Crowded House
3/5
I like the two biggest singles, I like the album name/art, and I like that Neil Finn was in Flight of the Conchords, so I was ready to enjoy this, but the album as a whole didn't do much for me. It's well-crafted soft rock but lacks a bit of edge.
2.5 / 3
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
This album was once recommended to me by a friend with good music taste, but I either didn't listen or just couldn't get into it (sorry James). Let's try again, shall we?
The Manics have some great hit singles but none of them are on this album... after 3 listens I still can't replay any of the songs in my head, which speaks to a lack of hooks. Still, I like the energy and the industrial/grungy feel to the guitar work, and I enjoyed the music more and more with each listen.
Haven't properly delved into the lyrics which are supposedly the strongest part of the album (they're not easy to make out, to be fair), but I am at least starting to understand the hype now.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
A thought I had: The Flaming Lips make music for children. Not saying there's anything wrong with that, or that you need to be a child to enjoy it, but the squelchy bass, pretty soundscapes and gentle/surreal lyrics sound tailor-made for kids (maybe that's psychedelic music in general to some extent, but this band in particular). At first you think they're being ironic somehow but they're not, and I guess that's part of the appeal.
Anyway, it's another record I wanted to love but ended up just liking. It's less of a concept album than I expected, and more instrumental. Do You Realize?? and Yoshimi pt.1 are great. The rest sounds lush and dreamy but the songs aren't as strong.
3.5.
Bob Dylan
4/5
Look, it's Dylan! And he's gone electric!
This felt a bit like Let It Bleed - a classic 60s album with an absolute all-time worldie first up, another big hitter at the end, and a lot of ordinary stuff in between. But actually I reckon there's more killer than filler here. Ballad of a Thin Man is a welcome change of pace, and the title track is fun (I like the extended gap after 'Let me think for a minute son...'). Plus it's always engaging to listen to a Nobel Prize winner spit his verses. Even when I don't know what he's talking about, Bob sounds like he does, at least.
As with the Stones, I hope the generator can show me a better Dylan album. But if this is the best, that's still pretty good. I will re-revist this highway in future.
Arrested Development
3/5
Absolutely zero prior knowledge of this group or album, so I got to go in with no preconceptions whatsoever. What a treat.
I could mark it down for being a bit long or cheesy or God-y, but it's too damn joyous and too damn catchy. Didn't expect to be grooving along to a track called Fishin' 4 Religion today, but here we are.
3.5 (includes a discovery bonus of half a star).
The White Stripes
4/5
Fell In Love With a Girl is a rare song that I'd always listen to whenever it came on shuffle. It's a lovely booster shot of adrenaline to complement all moods. And also too short to bother skipping. Speaking of which, Little Room is ace too.
Dunno if it's just the limitations of a 2-piece band but listening to this I noticed l that Jack White reuses a lot of stuff. Like, there are really specific guitar parts that appear again in later songs. Can't say it ruined my enjoyment though.
Feels like there's some filler between the gems but it's good filler, you know?
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Will this be the album where I finally get the hype around The Rolling Stones...?? Nope.
18 tracks and none of them really excited me. Shine a Light at a push. It's all fine, if you fancy an hour of competent bluesy rock & roll, but 'competent' alone will only get you 2.5 stars, tops.
Dirty Projectors
3/5
Band name and album art were vaguely familiar but the music was all new to me.
Funky fresh, inventive blend of electric, acoustic, orchestral, world music etc. Really picked up momentum at track 4 - would've enjoyed more tracks with the female vocalists.
Less exciting second time round once the thrill of the new had worn off, but I still appreciate the creativity.
Common
2/5
A few good moments from the self-styled 'Morpheus in this hip-hop matrix' - he seems like an engaging lyricist (and so does his dad, actually). But overall I found it a bit of a slog to get through. The production was too one-paced and muzak-y for my liking.
Boston
3/5
Enjoyed this more than many of the 70s/80s rock albums we've had so far. It's got a kind of wide-eyed, dreamy quality that I quite like - probably because of some sweet harmonies and chord changes. And crucially, at 37 minutes, it doesn't outstay its welcome.
3.5.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
3/5
It's nice to put a sound to an iconic name of the big band / jazz world. Not my usual genre but I quite enjoyed it, especially the tracks where the bass skips along at a good pace. It all sounds very neatly put together. I'm a fan of the album cover and the cute track names too.
Grateful Dead
2/5
One of those influential bands I keep reading about but I've not heard much of their work. Whenever I do, I'm always surprised it's not some heavy gothic rock music...
I don't think it's really for me. Some nice foot-tapping bits but 'nice' is about as far as it goes - I found it fairly bland. Supposedly they meld lots of disparate genres but maybe the whole is less than the sum of its parts?
Mariah Carey
1/5
'Honey' is decent off-kilter pop, but after that it was as I feared - schmaltzy ballads and aimless R&B. Good voice but boring music that drags on too long.
Not irredeemably bad, but In the context of the 1001 most essential albums, for my particular tastes, this is near the bottom.
1.5
Arcade Fire
5/5
Possibly my favourite album. It's hard to describe how it makes me feel without sounding pretentious, so I might as well lean into it...
For me, it's like an escape into some time and place that probably never existed (between the click of the light and the start of the dream, you might say). Rustic and intimate yet also epic and ethereal. There's an earnestness to the the lyrics that lends extra power and purpose to the oh-whoa-whoa singalong bits. They come across a bit like they're preaching the views of some cult, but one whose cause I can really get behind.
Laika and Power Out bring a chaotic energy, like punk if punk was invented 200 years ago in Central Europe. Tunnels might be the most romantic song I've ever heard, in some strange way. And Rebellion is the best of the lot - that string/vocal melody in the outro is one of my all-time favourite bits of music.
Also, I reckon In The Backseat is their underrated masterpiece. Love that portentous guitar chord at 2:25, and the way the track diminishes to just a whisper at the end sounds like being left alone with your thoughts after everyone leaves the party, or life continuing after someone has died. Which is what I believe the song, (and most of the album), is about: life, death, and the struggle to hold onto childhood innocence as you get older.
Saw it performed live once but loads of people talked over it. Ah well, it's only music innit.
Manu Chao
4/5
Enjoyed this a lot - sultry latin vibes for a cold winter's weekend. Whenever it threatened to get a bit samey he'd chuck in a louder or softer number to keep things fresh, or sing in a completely different language just for the hell of it.
Earns its fourth star for absolute commitment to the album format - I don't think anything else on the list so far has flowed so seamlessly between tracks.
ABBA
3/5
When I saw the tracklist and didn't recognise anything I wondered if this was their avant-garde concept album or something.
Turns out it's more very-European pop that sounds a lot like the ABBA I know, but maybe 5% less kitschy and a bit more mature. Thought I might get bored but I didn't - there are some strong melodic hooks and lush production, as usual. They're masters of their craft, undeniably.
Bad Brains
3/5
Tunes were good without being special. The blend of genres was kinda interesting though, especially mixing metal-style shredding guitar with more primitive punk. Can hear the influence on a lot of 90s rock bands.
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
Extended funk jams aren't really my bag. Funk in general is only occasionally my bag, as controversial as that may be. Soulful pop classics like Stand! and Everyday People are more my bag.
The album certainly *feels* like a classic and I do like it for the most part. 3.5 seems about fair.
Air
3/5
Air deserve to be on this list, but a film score is an odd choice, no? I mean, I can see why they'd be chosen to score a film... Their dreamy/creepy atmospherics sure do sound like they could be in a film... But I haven't seen The Virgin Suicides so I can't know for sure how well these tunes work in that setting. In album form they're kinda interesting but don't seem like a must-hear.
I'll give it a middling 2.5/3, BUT my interest has been piqued to go and watch the film ASAP. Once I've done that I reserve the right to adjust my score accordingly...
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
There are two pretty-much-perfect pop songs on here, which is a great return for any album. In fact I'd say the whole first half is shiny synth-pop gold - the kind that makes me think 'Cor, wouldn't it have been great to grow up in 80s America and hang out at the mall all day...?!' The quality dips a bit towards the end though.
Gorillaz
4/5
The next two Gorillaz albums are better, but I guess this one's included for cultural significance.
When I first heard it I remember being surprised by how many tracks seemed more like sonic experiments than fully formed songs, and I think that's true of the band as a whole at this point: an interesting experiment that would become more well-realised over time.
The eclecticism was there from the start, though; I love 5/4, Tomorrow Comes Today & Slow Country for very different reasons. And I reckon Clint Eastwood remains their 'definitive' track - it still sounds fresh today.
A fun, quirky listen: 3.5 stars.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
2/5
I've never heard of this man before, but I'm glad to see he's still alive. There's yodelling and songs about weevils - it's hard not to be at least a little charmed. Plus, the recording is *so* primitive and the chat *so* typically old-timey, it has to be the real deal, right?
2.5
Afrika Bambaataa
2/5
So 'Planet Rock' was just a name, huh? At least 'Go Go Pop' and 'Renegades of Funk' weren't lying to me.
Like Grandmaster Flash, this sounds pretty dated now, but the artwork is great, so: 2.5 stars. I hope they find that perfect beat one day.
Fela Kuti
3/5
5 tracks spanning an hour is a big ask for my millennial attention span.
Can't doubt the technical proficiency on show (I didn't hear a bum note or missed beat, despite there being many notes and many, many beats), but all that jamming over the same basic grooves gets a bit tiresome. Enjoyed it as background music though.
It's another 2.5, but as a drummer myself I'll pay respect to two giants of the drumming world and round up.
Gene Clark
3/5
This had the feel of an old country singer deciding to embrace the music of the time and making an epic, psychedelia-tinged opus (I had no idea he was part of The Byrds). Pretty good on the whole; the title track and Lady of the North were my highlights.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Middle-period Cohen: masterful songcraft dressed in the tackiest 80s production. I can see why it took a Jeff Buckley to get Hallelujah the credit it deserves.
But you know what, I'm charmed. It adds a (deliberate?) layer of absurd humour to the whole thing. And anyway, there are a handful of 24-carat classics on this album (Everybody Knows, I'm Your Man, Tower of Song etc). Leonard you horny devil, you've done it again.
John Cale
2/5
Weird, John Cale's name came up yesterday. Can't remember why.
This had some very nice orchestral chamber pop (is that the term?) moments. I think it's good, but for some reason it didn't truly grab me. Second listen was more enjoyable than the first and third... maybe it requires a specific mood? At the moment: 2.5
Dire Straits
4/5
I've listened to this maybe once in my life before now so wasn't sure what to expect beyond the hits. Happy to report that the rest of the album is pretty decent - side A is great. Nearly every track could arguably be shorter but overall it's solid stuff.
Interesting to read that it got panned on release (though this was partly for sounding the same as previous DS albums, which I'm not in a position to judge... yet. I'm sure the generator will enlighten me in time.)
Joan Baez
3/5
I've not heard much Joan Baez but this album feels very familiar. The style of singing, the acoustic guitar accompaniment, and even a few of the songs are very much a part of my youth. Joan's voice is better than most of the stuff I grew up with, though, and some of the fingerpicking hits the spot too. When they mesh perfectly it's really enchanting. I'm not above getting a little bored though, particularly in the middle part of the album.
I'll relax my 'low marks for all covers' policy a bit as it's sort of the point of the whole folk tradition...
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
This album surprised me a bit. I didn't expect to hear Noel Redding singing or a skit about aliens, for starters. Then there are some poppier tracks than on the debut, and also some more soulful tunes that clearly inspired John Frusciante etc (Little Wing, Bold as Love - these are the highlights for me).
One Rainy Wish was my favourite new discovery. Lush.
3/3.5
Elastica
3/5
I liked it but thought I'd like it more. It might be the height of 90s cool but the songs are inconsistent - all are fine, some are good, only a couple are great. Waking Up is a tune though and I fully endorse the sentiment: not easy, never has been.
The Charlatans
2/5
It's alright, but I've never really rated The Charlatans - I guess the clue's in the name. They sound like an inferior version of a lot of their contemporaries (Stone Roses, Oasis etc). It's only the piano/organ sounds that really distinguishes them.
2.5
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Fun album. Lots of recognisable samples and carefree, laid back vibes. 90s hip-hop can be a bit of a time capsule but this feels like it's aged well, and I'm intrigued to listen to the follow-up someday. It has put me right off my ham and eggs though.
3.5.
Merle Haggard
2/5
Poor Merle sounds a little...... haggard.
Dunno what he was so heartbroken about, he'd just married Buck Owens' ex-wife! Generatorland is a small world indeed.
Muddy Waters
3/5
This is how I like my blues: loud 'n' raucous (Mannish Boy is Exhibit A). Can't've been revolutionary in '77 but it sounds like a real fine example of the genre nonetheless. Held my attention pretty well throughout the duration. 3.5.
Queen
3/5
Queen are an incredible singles band but I'd heard that their albums weren't up to much, so I was surprised to see a record featuring none of the mega-hits make the list.
Quite interesting. All the ingredients of the classic Queen sound are there, but it also seems like they were considering becoming a fantasy-prog-metal band instead.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
The sexiest commute to work I've ever had.
The Go-Betweens
2/5
Thought this would be an easy 2 stars after a slow start, but I actually quite enjoyed it by the end. Not revolutionary, but some good tunes. It bridges the gap in time between The Smiths and 90s indie (like James maybe?). Kept expecting them to break into Breakfast at Tiffany's though...
Very aware that I've just given a Marvin Gaye album 3 stars and this seems a lot further from greatness than that, so... a strong 2.5.
JAY Z
4/5
I don't consider myself a Jay-Z fan, particularly, but I thought this was decent. Could definitely hear the Kanye influence on production after I read about that.
Lyrically it's the usual braggadocio etc which doesn't do much for me, but as far as that brand of rap goes, he's pretty good at it. Takeover is a great diss track.
3.5
The Strokes
4/5
This came out a year or two before I properly started following indie music so I can't verify exactly how huge its influence was, but I'm willing to believe it was pretty big - its presence certainly loomed large in my school & uni years.
The languid Is This It and the sprightly Someday are my two highlights, though listening back now there are a few forgettable tracks that I can *ahem* 'take or leave'. The difference in quality between this and their later albums isn't as great as common opinion says, IMO. Still, it's worth at least 4 stars.
The Modern Lovers
3/5
Nice to become acquainted with another of those hipster bands listed in that LCD Soundsystem song.
It sounds years ahead of its time and I found the frontman really engaging. Fun lyrics and some decent tunes too. Downgraded slightly after the second listen as I realised only a few tracks (Pablo Picasso, Hospital, I'm Straight, maybe a couple of others) had properly grabbed me.
Stereolab
2/5
Enough decent grooves to get my head bopping along on a sunny day and enough individuality/invention to justify its place on the list, but probably not enough of either to compel me to come back to this.
Pleasant background music: 2.5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
More Siouxsie! Twosie.
Sounds like they've refined their sound since The Scream - more melodies and more guitar effects. More to like, basically. Into The Light is great and Monitor is a decent rocker. It does descend back into tuneless noise again towards the end though.
Tricky
3/5
Enjoyable trip-hop, though lacking the really killer tracks that other bands of that genre & era produced.
A good education though; I was never really sure what the relationship between Tricky and Massive Attack was but I think I've cracked it now. Also, Martina Topley-Bird nearly never recorded with MA, but was basically Tricky's lead singer, which I certainly did not know. Learning every day.
Jimmy Smith
2/5
Preferred the organ-heavy bits over the more 'traditional', sax-led jazz bits. They made me feel like I was in some dreamy, low-jeopardy spy film scenario.
But (with the obvious caveat that I'm no expert in the genre)... most of it kinda sounded the same to me.
It's the usual drill: an enjoyable diversion for a while but I probably wouldn't go back to it. A neutral 2.5.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Two stars for Jamming, which reminds me both of The Simpsons and my one trip to the Caribbean as a kid, where Bob Marley still seemed to be the most played artist, 20 years after his death.
One star for the ultimate feel-good good feelings of Three Little Birds and One Love / People Get Ready.
Another star for the darker, more purposeful grooves of Natural Mystic, The Heathen and Exodus.
Half a star for the total disregard of grammar on 'So Much Things To Say'.
That's 4.5. And I'll round up because Bob was a Spurs fan.
The Slits
3/5
Was expecting some straightforward noise punk, but was pleasantly surprised by the creativity on show. It's got a bouncy, mildly chaotic energy about it that I like, and it sounds like it could've been released in the 00s.
3.5
Aerosmith
2/5
Liked a couple of tracks but struggling to see why this album made the list. Mostly pretty standard rock; not as interesting as Toys In The Attic.
Bauhaus
3/5
It's somewhere between Joy Division's mechanical gloom and The B-52's' quirky yelping. Admittedly that sounds like quite an eclectic mix, but having heard quite a few albums of this era now I'd say other groups seemed to be doing similar kinds of things at around the same time, but slightly better. The title track was my favourite.
2.5
Ray Charles
2/5
Contains some good stuff, but I don't think an album of swing standards/crooner ballads is the best use of Ray Charles. Some of his other songs show off his voice better, and have a more distinctive musical style too. Feels like you could sub in a Sinatra or whoever onto this record and the result would be pretty similar.
2.5
Elton John
4/5
Enjoyed this. A great voice and some very decent songs to match. Even snuck a 2Pac cover in there.
By most accounts it's not his greatest album, which bodes well for some of the others. 3.5
Al Green
4/5
Probably my favourite soul album so far. The music has a lightness of touch that feels so chilled and organic. Old Time Lovin’… *swoon*
New York Dolls
3/5
I think this was my first time listening to New York Dolls, though the name was very familiar. Fun, boisterous glam-punk that kept me entertained. Was about to add something like 'decent but nothing revolutionary', but then I realised that it almost certainly was, at the time.
Missy Elliott
2/5
While I am impressed that she fit so many Missy Elliott exclusives on there, I didn't love the album. I did quite enjoy Slide, Funky Fresh Dressed, Back in the Day and Work It, and also the monologues.
Bit of a tearjerker when she addressed the haters with 'you may not think I'm a real hip hop artist...' I DO think you're a real hip hop artist, Missy!! But I'm still giving Under Construction 2.5 stars.
Kraftwerk
4/5
After Florian Schneider died a couple of years back I explored Kraftwerk's catalogue and a bit and became quite fond of them. They clearly influenced loads of artists (how did I not notice the Daft Punk resemblance until now?) but their particular retro-futuristic quirks still sound unique.
This being their seventh album means it can't have been as revolutionary as the earlier stuff, but it's more refined, contains a few of their biggest hits, and still sounds way ahead of its time.
Metallica
3/5
I had this pegged as the metal connoisseur's Metallica album of choice, whereas I'm more of a casual Black Album / 'greatest hits' kinda guy. I enjoyed this more than expected though; I thought it'd be mostly thrashy stuff but there's plenty of variety. Orion is a great case in point.
A strong 3.5 from me.
Eminem
5/5
The Eminem Show was the album that got me into rap as an impressionable pre-teen, so I may be biased, but I still think that's the more consistent, better album and it's crazy that it hasn't made this list.
Anyway, this one is close behind. He switches between so many voices (literally and figuratively) so effortlessly - the biggest singles (Stan, The Real Slim Shady, The Way I Am) sum up Eminem's depth, humour and anger respectively, and they all work equally well.
There are undoubtedly lyrics on here that are genuinely problematic, but there are also a lot that aren't - they're cartoonishly OTT or satirical or playful -and that's why he gets away with the whole package, in my opinion. Every topic is pushed to its limits, but it's not *just* designed to shock - there's a lot of truth spoken too. So the lines between sincerity and facetiousness are blurred, which just makes the whole schtick (or is it...?!) very compelling.
4.5
Brian Eno
3/5
Charming little villages of sound.
Venom
2/5
Apparently very influential in the Satan-bothering metal scene. Not sure if that's really something that deserves respect though. Didn't hate it but it all feels a bit route one, and the production sounds less 'unpolished' and more 'unfinished'.
The Stooges
2/5
Didn't realise The Stooges were active in the sixties; maybe for its time this was quite fresh and interesting. Today, the cool, scuzzy vibes aren't really enough to make up for the lack of actual songs - most of 'em just sound like basic jams. And I'm an Iggy fan.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
I'm a bit indifferent to GNR and their particular brand of cock rock, but most of their biggest (and I'd argue all of their best) tunes are on this album. The album tracks are more killer than filler, too - just about.
A slightly overly long time, but a good time.
The Stranglers
4/5
Wasn't sure how enthused I'd be about a Stranglers album without Golden Brown on it but I thought this was very good. The emphasis on organ and bass add so much to the standard punk sound, and there are hooks aplenty.
3.5, but I'm feeling more generous these days so I'll round up to a 'IV'.
Anthrax
2/5
Slightly less heavy and a fair bit more punky than expected (I think the vocal style contributes heavily to both these things), but otherwise it's pretty standard metal. It's fine while I'm listening to it but I struggle to remember it at all afterwards.
LL Cool J
2/5
Flips between chilled, goofy old school hip-hop and 90s gangster rap so the guy's definitely got range, but none of the styles did that much for me. Bonus points awarded for that track where he shoehorns in all the cereal brands.
2.5
Iron Maiden
4/5
I was pleasantly surprised by this. Guitar and vocals are very melodic and it doesn't feel like there's too much flab on the album - it's just a lot of fun. Iron Maiden might have a new admirer.
3.5 / 4
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Superstition is an absolute powerhouse of a track, and its squelchier, weirder cousin Maybe Your Baby is pretty great too (are they pitch-shifted vocals I can hear, before they were cool...?!)
There are a few other neat bits and pieces but a lot of it is too saccharine for my tastes.
The Who
3/5
My first time giving this a spin, and I mostly enjoyed it. The first few tracks are nice and theatrical and set the scene well - much like the start of a musical, which I guess this pretty much is (didn't realise See Me, Feel Me was originally more of a recurring theme than it's own track - another musical theatre trope?)
I like the really short tracks (they help a lot with plot exposition) and always have respect for ambitious concept albums, especially groundbreaking ones like this. I'm not sure the individual parts are strong enough to keep me coming back to listen to the whole, though, especially when it's so long.
3.5
Richard Hawley
3/5
I remember this being praised when it was released but never gave it a listen. Earnest old-timey crooning (with a slightly modern sheen) that clearly influenced Alex Turner. Might be a bit top heavy? Either the best tracks are in the first half, or I just got a little weary of it towards the end. Or both.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
I can tell it's 'good'; the musical style is rich and exotic and self-assured, Joni's lyrics are always worth listening to, and I'm sure it would reward repeated listens (especially while road-tripping across America). But a chorus or a hook once in a while couldn't hurt, right?
John Coltrane
2/5
Pretty sure I played some Coltrane when I was learning the saxophone, but nothing as frenetic or technically impressive as this.
I kinda like it but it doesn’t move me on an emotional level. It’s getting the token neutral jazz score of 2.5.
Beach House
3/5
This layman’s opinion on Beach House was that they have a great, unique (and therefore list-worthy) sound, but not necessarily many great tunes to match it.
Did this album change my mind? Maybe not, but on this particular day its dreamy vibes proved to be the perfect soundtrack to my walk. I’ll give it a hearty 3.5 stars.
Sebadoh
3/5
Not listened to these chaps before but fair play, it sounds like the 90s alright. I guess the manic, discordant tracks are more ‘interesting’ but the tracks with a bit of melody, like Homemade, are more enjoyable.
2.5
Randy Newman
5/5
Yusss. It can take a while to ‘get’ Randy Newman or take him seriously, but once it clicks it’s worth it. There’s humour. There’s satire. There are piercing home truths and humdrum observations side-by-side. There’s a blend of orchestral/New-Orleans-y ragtime pop that you don’t really get from anyone else.
I think what I like most is that while his default position might be mockery, I reckon there’s plenty of affection and sincerity too.
There are enough classics here to guarantee a 4. Does the rest of the album push it into genuine 5-star territory? I’m not sure; but as a devout Randy fan there was always going to be some rounding up involved.
Wish he’d stop cancelling gigs I’m supposed to go to though.
David Holmes
2/5
Kinda fun voice recordings & kinda interesting beats. But it definitely falls under ‘nice background music’ for me, rather than an album I’d choose to listen to all the way through.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
There’s something for everyone here really, isn’t there?
Personal shout-outs to Never Going Back Again and the bass part in the chorus to Go Your Own Way.
Also, I’ve just realised: swap out the vocals and Dreams is basically a War on Drugs song…
Beatles
3/5
Expected to give this a 2 to balance all the stars I’ll be dishing out to the later Beatles albums, but it started so strongly. Listening to the energy of It Won’t Be Long gives me a taste of what Beatlemania must’ve been like for a 60s schoolgirl. The Beatles did this kind of music better than most of their contemporaries, I reckon.
Buuut there are a few duds (Little Child…) and the covers don’t add anything for me.
2.5 / 3
The Who
5/5
This is The Who doing what they do best, for me: big, epic, well-produced rockers with meaty guitars - and, as it happens, two of the best sequenced synth intros of all time. Speaking of which, I once woke up to Won’t Get Fooled Again, and would highly recommend it.
Beyond the hitz, the supporting cast is fairly decent - the likes of Bargain and Going Mobile are strong album tracks. I can’t decide whether they’re strong enough to justify giving the whole album 5 stars, but I’m feeling generous so I’ll score it 4.5, rounded up.
Spacemen 3
2/5
I’ll all for spaciness but these songs don’t go anywhere. Was probably a great record to trip to during the second summer of love...
Songhoy Blues
4/5
Great work, generator. Not only is this the perfect soundtrack for while I’m in Africa (not Mali, but still); I also listened to it just the other day.
I’ll happily listen to it again though. The seductive grooves, guitar riffs and group vocals are a delight. A very enjoyable and evocative listen, even if I can’t understand the words.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Similar to the last Elvis Costello album, it doesn't feel like there's anything particularly unusual going on, just good solid songs. I'm definitely more of a fan of his thanks to the generator.
The first and last few songs are really strong (the version of Peace, Love & Understanding being the highlight) but there's some more average stuff in the middle.
3.5
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Talking Book came up recently so let's see how Stevie's sound has progressed in the 3 weeks / 9 months since then...
Ooh it's good news! There's nothing as iconic as Superstition but the schmaltz has pretty much gone, replaced by experimental funk. Example: a track called 'Golden Lady' seemed like a prime candidate for schmaltziness, but turned out to be an absolute banger. I love the infinite key changes.
The lyrics in the chorus to Higher Ground are much easier to understand than the RHCP version, too.
Good stuff. 3.5 / 4.
Cypress Hill
2/5
Apparently this is pioneering but I'm sure by '91 some pretty similar sounding rap had already been released? Shows what I know, I guess.
I like it in small doses but the relentless one-bar loops on every track start to grate pretty quickly - it could use more differentiation.
2.5
Frank Ocean
5/5
Love this one. There are actually more killer tracks than I remember (Thinking Bout You, Lost & Super Rich Kids are my top 3, but there are 8 or 9 very decent songs here).
Even the weaker or interlude-y tracks contribute to the bigger picture though. There's this kinda modern, minimal, slightly spacey thing going on that takes me to some specific place and time it's hard to describe (probably southern California, near future; somewhere affluent and hi-tech but slightly unsettling nonetheless?)
4.5
Gene Clark
2/5
I'd never heard of Gene Clark a few months ago and now I've heard two of his albums. I preferred 'No Other' to this one - it's pleasant enough and soothing to listen to after a long day, but largely unremarkable. Can't really see why it's list-worthy.
2.5
Janelle Monáe
4/5
Only heard good things about Janelle Monáe so I expected this to be decent, but didn't expect to enjoy it so much personally. I thought it might be more straight up funk/soul but there's a smorgasbord of styles and a good mix of invention & bangers. Suite II in particular is a great ride.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
This seems like almost as important a record as Elvis's debut, but unlike that album many of these tracks are self-penned, which is a plus. However, it doesn't have the excitement or star power of an Elvis - it's just nice and inoffensive, in a very stereotypically 50s way.
I'm gonna give it 2.5, but I'll round up for influence, and because there are some *extremely* sharp haircuts on the cover.
Bob Dylan
5/5
This is probably the Dylan album I already knew the most tracks off, from various greatest hits compilations, covers and whatnot. Happy memories of many childhood evenings listening to the likes of Just Like a Woman and I Want You while playing Lemmings... I think the lush production and poppier structures of these songs really suits him, and was happy to discover a couple more that fit this mould, like Stuck Inside of Mobile.
You could squish this into a 9-10 track single album and it'd be a legit 5 stars - no rounding necessary - but it loses a bit of momentum towards the end.
4.5.
Aerosmith
3/5
If we continue at the current rate, 18 of the 1001 must-hear albums will be by Aerosmith. Seems excessive.
This has got just enough about it to make me understand their continued appeal, even though I still think they're a bit meh. I actually think the best bits are when they go fully OTT (i.e. Love In An Elevator).
The Fall
3/5
In my head The Fall was just Mark E. Smith snarling tunelessly over a punky racket, but it seems I did them a disservice. The music is more interesting and varied than I imagined (in this 90s iteration at least), and there are some funny lyrics, like this one:
"I do not like your tone. It has ephemeral whinging aspects."
The Replacements
2/5
Not the 'Let It Be' I expected the generator to throw up. It was ok but nothing special. I think it says a lot about the state of rock music in the 80s if this is considered to be one of the decade's best albums.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Like millions of other Nick Cave fans (presumably), my first real taste of The Bad Seeds was hearing O Children on Harry Potter... That might well still be my favourite track on here, but it's got some stiff competition.
It's hard to gauge whether there's a thematic concept in each disc or if they're just split on musical lines. Abattoir Blues is the better of the two, with both its loud chaotic bits and loud euphoric bits hitting the spot, but after a couple of listens I believe there's plenty to enjoy on both. The music is very rich but still accessible - much more so than the album title and cover may suggest.
Honestly, even as a fan of the artist who was familiar with a few of these tracks I was surprised by how consistently I enjoyed the whole package.
4.5
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
I wasn't really in the mood for yet another double album today, especially 90 minutes of generic Southern rock by a band whose name sounds like a parody of generic Southern rock bands.
But you know what, they kinda won me over. 'Three Great Alabama Icons' was the track that piqued my interest; it's more of a history lesson than a song. From then on I paid more attention to the lyrics, did some research and realised that this is an opera *about* Southern rock (Lynyrd Skynyrd in particular - plus attitudes towards the Deep South etc).
After that it became much more engrossing, and it's arguably the most fully realised 'concept album' that's come up so far.
Justice
4/5
This reminds me of uni / the time just after uni (because I was a little slow on the uptake). Really enjoyable set of bangers that was clearly influenced by Daft Punk etc but brings something new to the table too - and I think that thing is lots of lovely distortion.
Sabu
2/5
So 'Sabu' was a percussionist... that makes sense.
The tunes with guitar etc are delightful, but 4/8 tracks of just hypnotic drumming and vocals is a lot, even for me. Probably best experienced live, outdoors, while performing some sort of mystic ritual.
Hole
3/5
Only heard a few Hole songs before (mainly off Celebrity Skin) but this reinforces my view of them: strong vocals, good grunge-pop sound, consistently solid songs but not many worldies. The first and last tracks were my favourites.
3/3.5
Michael Jackson
3/5
We have a new contender for most 80s sounding album of all time, and I'm not sure that's a good thing.
Initially I was wowed by the number of hit singles and thought it had to be at least 4 stars, but then I thought: are the hits on here *really* all that? Bad ain't good. Man in the Mirror isn't the masterpiece I thought it was when I was 10. Dirty Diana and Smooth Criminal are still fun, and The Way You Make Me Feel holds up fairly well, but there's at least as much filler as killer here.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
Scores low on the 'why is it on the list' scale (as far as I can tell it's special because... they're from Finland?)
Gains back 2.5 stars for some rather fun and catchy glam rock bops.
Animal Collective
4/5
At its best, it's so good. That euphoric explosion halfway through In The Flowers, followed by My Girls, is such a strong start. The sugar rush of Brother Sport and the breezy Summertime Clothes are other highlights.
But I feel with Animal Collective there are sometimes too many ideas, too much experimentation or just too many sounds that it impedes the songs. The production on some of these tracks turns into a thick noisy sludge at times - maybe I need to invest in some significantly more expensive earphones to unpack it all?
3.5, but the album cover is fascinating me in a big way so I'll round up.
The Afghan Whigs
3/5
Quite enjoyed this. It seems pretty heavy lyrically, and it packs a punch musically too, but not at the expense of melody or craft. My Curse was an unexpected but welcome left-turn. The lead singer reminds me of a few other rock singers of the era but I can't think who any of them are. Trent Reznor maybe?
Le Tigre
3/5
Don't think I've heard this group before, despite Deceptacon having >100 million Spotify streams. Initially words like 'pretentious' and 'annoying' came to mind, but then I got over it and now I'm leaning towards 'inventive' and 'fun' instead.
The Smiths
3/5
Not too familiar with The Smiths' albums despite knowing dozens of their tracks - including, on this occasion, the excellent Headmaster Ritual, I Want the One I Can't Have and That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore (the point's been made to death, but how someone can write lyrics so sympathetic as the latter and turn into such an unsympathetic character himself is baffling...)
As for the new discoveries: mostly pretty good. Some good up-tempo numbers on there like Barbarism Begins at Home and Nowhere Fast. It's a good album but lacking something that would elevate it to greatness.
3.5
Miles Davis
3/5
And there was me thinking that Coltrane album was wild for only having 4 tracks on it.
I like the very soundscape-y feel this has, especially track 2. Sometimes dreamy, often slightly mysterious, but never threatening. Pixar-esque.
Hole
3/5
This album has more of a poppy sheen to it, but notwithstanding that I'm just gonna copy and paste from my review of Live Through This the week before last:
'strong vocals, good grunge-pop sound, consistently solid songs but not many worldies.
3/3.5'
Ok, this one does have a worldie on it (the title track). A strong 3.5 then.
Miles Davis
3/5
The generator’s either getting smarter, or lazier; two days after In A Silent Way it spits out the follow-up. This is in a similar vein, but less peaceful and more chaotic.
I like the really out-there sounds (the delay on the trumpet squalls etc in the title track). The bass also does a lot of unheralded work here - simple, hypnotic loops that steadily repeat for minutes on end while the other instruments do whatever the hell they want over the top. Together these parts create a witchy kinda groove that I can really get on board with.
The second half of the album loses some of that mystery though (maybe it gets a bit close to conventional jazz or funk for my tastes). Also, it goes on for bloody ages. Still, clearly an impressive and important work. This week has been an interesting education in Miles Davis and his experimental fusion phase.
Metallica
4/5
For the most part this works really well. Metallica make pretty huge, OTT music as it is, so combining that with an orchestra for added action-film epic-ness just makes sense. There's a crucial third element too: the audience. The occasional crowd participation bits actually add to the cinematic scale but also help keep the 'live' feel of the album.
The setlist is a good mix of classics, personal favourites (The Memory Remains & Ecstacy of Gold, oh yeaahhh) & new discoveries (No Leaf Clover). There are definitely some more forgettable tracks too, and some of the orchestral arrangements don't really add anything, but I enjoyed this more than the other live albums we've had so my score should probably reflect that.
Pavement
3/5
As a longtime indie/alternative fan it really was about time I finally listened to a full Pavement album. I'd say I was whelmed by it... It's likeable, but I didn't find myself wondering where this band had been all my life, or noticing a seismic influence on today's musical landscape.
Got my foot in the door (/on the Pavement, amirite?) now though, so who knows, maybe I'll grow to love 'em.
Joy Division
4/5
Not as bleak as I remembered, musically at least (apart from The Eternal, which is pretty bleak in every sense). Atrocity Exhibition is jarring but propelled by a funky drum beat. Isolation is legitimately danceable. Heart and Soul & Twenty Four Hours are ominous as hell but still have an energy and a groove to them - dirges they ain't.
I've decided today that this album is a pretty impressive piece of music in its own right, but the tragic context around it only makes it more compelling. Not in the mood for fully immersing myself in the lyrics today but can see how it might be a profoundly unnerving experience.
3.5 / 4
The Avalanches
4/5
Controversial opinion: the more recent Avalanches albums are a bit better, and contain more good songs. But this album isn't a must-hear because of 'good songs', is it? It earns it's place on the list (and my possibly-slightly-generous star rating) for three good reasons:
1. Sampling isn't impressive. But sampling *on this scale* is, I think, something of an art form. To stitch together a vibrant, hour-long collage of music entirely from samples is pretty unique and remarkable.
2. I always like to reward albums that flow seamlessly, and The Avalanches are exceptional in that respect. I love the way they use filters and foley to make it sound like you're physically moving from one track to the next on a continuous, kaleidoscopic journey.
3. Frontier Psychiatrist. I heard this on the school bus when I was 10 and probably assumed that was just how music was going to be in the 21st century. I still haven't heard anything like it since.
Super Furry Animals
3/5
Pleasant, gently psychedelic/inventive, but I don't think it'll live long in the memory.
Burning Spear
3/5
Can't pretend to know how this fits into the history of reggae, but it seems decent to me. It's clearly got something to say, though personally it mainly evokes BBQs on hot summer days...
Jamiroquai
2/5
As a kid I was a bit of a Jamiroquai fan. I loved tracks like Virtual Insanity and Canned Heat (and still do). However, this debut album is less focused on slinky pop hooks and more on lengthy funk jams. I expect some purists prefer this to their later, more mainstream output but for me it just drags on for far too long. Decent musicianship but not really my bag.
2.5
Weather Report
2/5
- First and foremost: fantastic album art
- There are several sounds in here that I think of as quintessentially 80s, so this was surely ahead of its time
- Flips between quirky tunes that I enjoy (Birdland, The Juggler) and that brand of aimless jazz-funk muzak that does nothing for me
- Very 'Mario Kart menu music'
2.5
Ryan Adams
2/5
Ryan Adams & me: a potted history.
Stage 1: confusing him with Bryan Adams (this stage lasted quite a while).
Stage 2: hearing his cover of Wonderwall and discovering he also had some good tunes of his own.
Stage 3: finding out he'd been Me Too-ed and going off him quite a bit.
Stage 2 didn't last long enough for me to deep dive into this album before, and Stage 3 has potentially tainted my opinion now, but I reckon I'm judging the music objectively.
He's clearly influenced by Dylan & The Band and others, and the paths he treads are all well-trodden... which is fine, but then the songs have to be really strong to justify a high rating, and I don't think they are.
There's some good stuff here, but it's mostly in the first third, and there's not enough variation, either within songs or across the album, to keep my interest. I listened to 21 tracks because apparently that's how the album was intended, but I think the label had the right idea in trying to condense it...
Steely Dan
2/5
More Steely Dan, but still no Do It Again :(
Honestly I got very little enjoyment out of this. Had a lot of jazz-rock lately and it continues to bore me more than it impresses me. The sound may be good, but it doesn't *sound* good, y'know?
Little snippets of lyrics I caught interested me more than the music. That, and the fact a couple tracks (Josie and Home at Last, I think) had decent choruses, just about earns it two stars.
The Mars Volta
3/5
Another of those that feels like it needs way more than one day to properly digest (I listened to it once before, years ago, but even TWO days isn’t enough time to really know it…)
I respect the proggy experimentation; it’s a pretty unique blend of math-rock, emo, latin, helicopter sounds and god knows what else. There are moments when an epic chorus or mighty riff breaks out from the chaos and it sounds very nice indeed. I can’t say that I enjoyed all 67 minutes of it to the same extent, but with more listens maybe that would change. For now: 3.5 stars.
Neil Young
4/5
Neil Young's probably over-represented on this list (I suspect we're not nearly done with his albums yet) but there's good stuff on all of them, and this might be my favourite so far, surprisingly.
I wasn't expecting much but I didn't dislike any track and some really appealed to me. Revolution Blues is a great, propulsive rocker and the title track is exquisitely despondent. A solid, cohesively world-weary collection.
3.5
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
One of those late 80s/early 90s alt rock bands I probably would've listened to a lot if I was born 10-15 years earlier, but I wasn't, so I've hardly listened to them at all.
I'm a fan of the grungey-but-melodic-at-the same-time aesthetic and really enjoyed this on first listen. But when I gave it another go it had lost some of its lustre. Maybe a bit too basic to enjoy repeatedly? Or just mood-dependent?
Curtis Mayfield
4/5
Good album. Sympathetic lyrics and a couple of real #choons. I do like funk & soul sometimes! Not sure how it works within the film but the album plays out a bit like a film all by itself, and you can't say that about all soundtracks.
3.5
Blur
4/5
Not my favourite Blur album but still lots to enjoy, and a key change in direction in their career.
On paper this is one of their more stylistically uniform collections - an American-style guitar album without the lavish Britpop arrangements. But the variety of weird sounds and styles Graham Coxon coaxes from his guitar is impressive (see Essex Dogs and Death of a Party for two great examples). There's scuzzy lo-fi blues, punk, melodic balladry, singalong pop and two classic singles in Beetlebum and Song 2. Lovely stuff.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
2/5
The harmonies are nice, and it's all very neat and tidy, but I just find it hard to love. It sounds a bit sterile to me.
Marrakesh Express, Helplessly Hoping and 49 Bye-Byes stood out as tracks I might listen to again.
2.5
LCD Soundsystem
4/5
A strong comeback album. oh baby is gorgeous, and the run from how do you sleep? to american dream is so good - the way each song builds is peak LCD Soundsystem. James Murphy’s lyrics about the existential regret of getting older on tonite and the title track are exactly the kind of consolation I’m gonna need as the years fly by.
The other half of the album has pleasingly twitchy and unsettling undertones but the tunes drag somewhat and lack a bit of variation.
3.5 / 4
5/5
6 year old me, just getting into football after initially hating it, played and lost his first ever penalty shootout one evening at Beavers (almost entirely down to Daniel's pathetically statuesque performance in net - cheers Daniel). As the credits rolled on this tragic, so-near-yet-so-far defeat, the melody to Don't Look Back In Anger inexplicably started playing in my head. I didn't know the words, what it was called, or who it was by, but I tried humming it to my mum, who reckoned it might be an old song about flamingoes.
Incredibly, when I unwrapped a CD-shaped present on Christmas Day that year, it wasn't the flamingo song but WTSMG. I was finally able to put a name to my glorious failure anthem. But wait! There's that Roll With It song that the kids at school are always trying to sing! I recognise this 'Wonderwall' tune too!
And that's the story of my first ever album. It began a love affair with music and losing penalty shootouts that remains to this day.
Earth, Wind & Fire
3/5
Is this an important or revolutionary album in the history of funk and/or soul music? No idea really, but I'm guessing not particularly.
Is it at least E,W&F at their best? Again, I'm the wrong person to ask. There's no September-esque mega-banger in my opinion, but maybe as a collection it is?
Did I enjoy it? Yeah, for the most part. Some undeniably happy and groovy vibes.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
Doing an album of murder ballads is quintessentially Nick Cave, but I wouldn't say the album itself is quintessential Nick Cave - it's too inconsistent.
Where The Wild Roses Grow is a delight, and Stagger Lee is fun, but trying to stretch that same formula out over 14 minutes on O'Malley's Bar is a bit gratuitous.
Aretha Franklin
4/5
Hmmm. Accidentally seeing this was ranked among the all-time god-tier albums hasn't helped me here - I went in expecting a few more really classic songs, I guess.
Still, Aretha was obviously an absolute force of nature as a singer and she sounds on top form. When the music gets all slow and soulful on songs like People Get Ready, Ain't No Way and Natural Woman, it's an almost religious experience.
4/5
One of their best, and one of the most important albums in the 90s Britpop movement. Everything starts to come together - the lush, melodic pop songs (For Tomorrow and Chemical World would surely have been huge smashes if released when Blur were already a big deal), the overtly British tunes like Sunday Sunday, the punkier numbers like Advert, and the more psychedelic, experimental tangents like Oily Water and Miss America that keep things interesting.
Also, there's a particularly innocent, youthful edge to songs like Star Shaped and Blue Jeans that I really like, but was maybe eroded away somewhat in later albums.
On this occasion I'll override my own personal enjoyment and nostalgia telling me to give it full marks, because, well, it's not a perfect album.
4.5 it is then.
Sleater-Kinney
3/5
Struggled to really enjoy this one and I'm not sure why. It's got energy but somehow felt like a slog to get through despite being 26 minutes long.
Dance Song '97 was my favourite, I guess it stood out from the punkier, scuzzier tracks. Jenny is nice and moody too actually. There is some good stuff here, so I'll round up from 2.5.
The Human League
3/5
Reminded me a lot of Penthouse and Pavement (unsurprisingly) - and I enjoyed this one too. Catchy, quirky, synthy melodies aplenty, artfully treading the line between tacky and sophisticated - and that's before we even get to Don't You Want Me at the end.
Something about it starts to grate after a while though. I think maybe I'm not a huge fan of the vocals.
3.5
Linkin Park
3/5
The nostalgia is strong with this one. It's hard to listen to Crawling and not be taken back to those intensely angsty teenage years, which is exactly what Linkin Park is made for. The nu metal style sounds a bit dated now and the album tracks are hit and miss, but the singles still hold up well. I personally think Meteora is a stronger album, but I'll give Hybrid Theory 3.5 stars.
Eagles
3/5
Always been baffled by the amount of records Eagles have sold, but I can see the appeal in Take It Easy, and the chaotic birdsong/banjo combo on Earlybird was fun. 'Chug All Night' is an awful phrase though.
Talking Heads
4/5
I'm a big fan of Talking Heads - they've made some of my favourite tracks and influenced loads of other great artists - but I've yet to find a TH album I loved from start to finish. Having said that, I do like the cut of this one's jib. The commitment to completely bonkers (but possibly profound??) lyrical themes hooked me in, and second time round some pretty infectious tunes revealed themselves too.
3.5, but I suspect that score may rise further in future.
Elis Regina
2/5
This started promisingly; I’m all for snappy Latin rhythms and airy acoustic guitars that transport me to a sunny South American village. But I felt like as the album went on those Brazilian vibes got watered down and replaced with a more generic brand of smooth jazz/funk which is less appealing to me.
2.5
Metallica
4/5
The five singles are all 5*, just great, brooding metal songs (that slow snare roll in Sad But True - so simple but so effective), and even the ballads sound heavy as... a really heavy thing.
It seems like the rest of the album isn't quite on the same level, but to be fair it could just be that I'm less familiar with the other tracks.
4.5
Kate Bush
3/5
This was definitely in my parent's CD collection but it didn't seem to get much of a spin, unlike other Kate Bush albums. I guess it's because, outside of the heavenly This Woman's Work, there isn't anything really outstanding on here.
I enjoyed it though. The title track, Rocket's Tail and Walk Straight Down The Middle all caught my attention, while Deeper Understanding seems to be about forming an emotional dependence on computers - how very ahead of its time.
The Black Crowes
2/5
According to their Spotify bio these guys 'resuscitated rock'. I get it - every few years rock'n'roll goes out of fashion, then a back-to-basics, 70s-style rock band comes along and gets very popular.
But ultimately they weren't the best at making this kind of music, and they certainly weren't the first. So, 30 years on, this album seems fairly unremarkable. Decent American bar background music is all.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Always liked Dusty's blend of grandiose arrangements and catchy melodies. Wishin' and Hopin' and I Only Want To Be With You were childhood favourites of mine (though the latter is apparently a bonus track, and I'm never sure whether to factor those into my rating).
The songs are pretty strong throughout and I'd happily listen again, but I can't give it a higher mark because most of them aren't Dusty Springfield originals, and it feels like cheating when you can have your pick of songs other people have already recorded.
3.5
Dr. Dre
2/5
Pretty disappointed by this. Turns out I'm not a big fan of 'G-funk' - or at least not a whole hour of it (the singles can stay). Shame, as I really like Dre's later production work for himself and Eminem etc. I also think his aggressive vocal style is more suited to that later sound than these more chilled out stoner vibes. It's lucky Snoop is around (a lot more than I realised), as his voice fits the music well and is a bit more more interesting to listen to.
I've seen Straight Outta Compton now though so at least I understand all the Jerry Heller and Eazy E disses...
Clearly an influential album, but it's a 2.5 rating from me.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
One of my favourite album covers for sheer ‘fuck it, this’ll do’ factor, and also one of my all-time favourite songs for singing along to every vocal part at the top of my lungs (California Dreaming, obvz).
There are some other very pleasant tunes too, but nothing quite memorable enough to elevate this album to 4-star territory.
Oasis
4/5
Always been more of a WTSMG fan, but I can see how the rawer guitars and mad-fer-it attitude of the debut would be some people’s preference, especially if they were aged ~12-25 when it came out. Plus, it’s got Live Forever, Supersonic and Slide Away on it, which are worth most of my 4.5 star rating on their own.
John Martyn
3/5
A real curio. I hadn't heard of this man - must ask my dad though as I suspect he will have. The more straight-up acoustic guitar folk numbers tended to appeal to me most, but I respect the blend of genres and the experimentation, even if some of it left me cold.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
In my youth Jane’s Addiction were just-another-band I was vaguely aware of, but I didn’t appreciate how old, and therefore ahead of their time, they were (I’d also never heard Jane Says before now, which apparently is comfortably their biggest hit).
This album seems a darn sight quirkier than I previously gave them credit for, too, though I actually reckon they’re at their best doing Big Rock Tunes, like Mountain Song.
Conclusion: a list-worthy album, which is all you can ask for really.
Soundgarden
5/5
Excellent grunge. Thought I'd like it based on the tracks I knew but the whole album exceeded my expectations. Not sure why I never really took the time to listen to more Soundgarden before.
I'm giving it 4.5 stars, but heck, I'll round up as a 'pleasantly surprised' bonus.
SPOONMAN!
The White Stripes
4/5
Haven’t listened to this one in a while as my Dad lost my CD, but it’s actually better than I remember. I probably bought it off the back of hearing Seven Nation Army, which has now reached such a level of ubiquity that I almost discount it completely, but I don’t think the album is defined by it anyway.
The rockers are full of raw but controlled energy and the slower numbers like You’ve Got Her In Your Pocket are well-written. Plus, I Just Don’t Know What to Do With Myself is a really great, underrated cover.
I don’t feel the same affection towards The White Stripes/Jack White as I do towards other bands but I do have a lot of respect for them/him, and this album might just be their/his best.
Fugazi
2/5
From what I've read Fugazi seem like an interesting and influential band so I'm not writing them off, but nothing on this album struck me as essential listening.
I liked plenty of bits of it but there wasn't a track I really loved. 2.5 stars.
The Doors
3/5
For some reason I thought the Doors had one legendary breakthrough album, flattered to deceive for a short while, then (Jim) died. This album dispelled those thoughts in a couple of ways: firstly, turns out they made 6 albums together! And secondly, some of their later work is actually quite good.
A few tracks are pretty basic, uninspired blues rock, and sometimes the jams last too long without going anywhere, but I kinda like them anyway. And when they really decide to knuckle down and focus they created gems like Love Her Madly and Riders on the Storm (Ok, the latter is also long and doesn’t go anywhere, but it’s still great - I don’t make the rules).
3 / 3.5
Milton Nascimento
4/5
Intriguing. There’s some classic Brazilian goodness here but it’s clearly more than just a traditional samba/bossa nova album. A lot of styles are thrown together and some of the changeups in the middle of tracks are quite surprising.
Double albums are always a bit overwhelming, and I feel like I’d get more out of some of the slower songs in particular if I understood the lyrics, but sometimes the beautiful melodies speak for themselves, like on ‘Ao Que Tai Nascer’.
‘Clube Da Esquina No 2’ also seems deeply familiar and evocative, but I genuinely don’t know if that’s just because I remember it from when I listened to the album a few hours ago…
Overall, a lot to like. 3.5 stars.
Barry Adamson
3/5
Hard one to judge. First couple of tracks didn't really do it for me despite the presence of Jarvis Cocker and Atticus Ross, but I was sort-of won over by the madness that followed.
It reminded me of the David Holmes album that came up, but weirder. I may not return to it but the whole 'soundtrack to an imaginary film' schtick does appeal to me in some way and I think I have to respect the ambition...
2.5 / 3
The United States Of America
3/5
Pleasingly chaotic psychedelic pop. The Garden of Earthly Nights and the Eleanor Rigby-esque Stranded in Time were my favourites.
The fact they only made one album gives this a bit of a mythology too: they came, they made weird music, they split up. Job done.
The Kinks
3/5
I always find myself rooting for The Kinks; they’ve got a boatful of classic singles to rival any of their contemporaries. But I wonder if those many singles were spread out across almost as many albums? Certainly when Sunny Afternoon kicked in the jump in quality from the rest of the tracklist was obvious (barring Dead End Street, if we’re including it in this album). That said, there are some other nice Ray Davies ditties on here, and evidently it was an important record in the creation of the 60s ‘Britpop’ sound.
Eurythmics
3/5
Another 80s synth-pop album that I thought was actually rather decent, with or without the huge, iconic smash hit contained within. Not mind-blowing, just a solid listen. A textbook 3-er.
Fela Kuti
2/5
Wow, this album seems to have quite a tragic and bloody history, which I guess makes the lyrics some of the most potent ever.
Musically, there's nothing I don't like, per se... but if you were to cut off ~4 minutes at the start and end of every track (leaving the call-and-response vocal bits) I'd probably rate it a lot higher.
It's the kind of music which, if a live band was performing it, I'd have an absolutely great time dancing to for 5-10 minutes... before gradually losing enthusiasm over the next hour until I was swaying out of habit only; a little dead behind the eyes and secretly, desperately wondering when it was going to end.
2.5 stars.
B.B. King
4/5
I saw a video of B.B.King performing live in his later years and he was clearly a shadow of his former self, but here he's in his prime and wow, what a performer!
Loved the voice, the crowd interaction, the crowd noise, the segues between tracks. I could probably take or leave the tunes themselves in studio form, but in a live setting - magic.
3.5 / 4
Grizzly Bear
3/5
I recognised Two Weeks but apart from that Grizzly Bear have been on my 'heard good things, must check them out one day' list for the past ten years.
It took me a while to warm to this album but I enjoyed it plenty by the end. While You Wait For The Others was my highlight.
None of it felt completely new to me - it reminded me a lot of how Wild Beasts sounded around that time (I think Wild Beasts win that fight btw - there are more of them after all, but admittedly it depends on the type of beast). Also, the album kind of meandered at times in the middle. But like I say, my overriding feeling was this was a pleasant listen.
3.5 stars
Isaac Hayes
2/5
The main theme is fun, and there’s a sort of airy, happy-go-lucky feeling to the instrumentals which is endearing (no idea how a lot of these translate to a crime/action thriller though…)
But as an album in its own right? Can’t see myself sticking this on in any situation really. The Super Fly soundtrack is better.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
This generator has introduced me to some nifty new artists, but it’s also made me appreciate artists I already knew and loved even more. Chief among those is Simon & Garfunkel - their entire catalogue just seems to be so consistently strong. Take the classic singles away and you’re still left with a very enjoyable, vibrant album.
4.5 stars. Should I round up or down? I dunno. It’s too hot today.
Peter Frampton
2/5
Pretty dull on the whole, not list-worthy in my book. The three 'hits' are alright though - I do like a good talk box solo.
Prince
3/5
Prince was an incredibly charismatic performer, amazing guitarist, gifted musician and all the rest of it, but I've never been able to really connect with his music, and this album doesn't change that.
A few tracks stood out (Starfish and Coffee & the title track for two). There are some cool, quirky bits in If I Was Your Girlfriend, It etc that remind me of some of today's more interesting hip hop artists. And then there are other tracks that are kind of... meh. Like, it's probably great, but... maybe it's just overrated?
The shear scope of the album kept it interesting though and it would probably benefit from further listens.
3.5
The Waterboys
3/5
In the context of music history it’s nowt special, but in the context of what’s come up on the list so far it’s a breath of fresh Celtic air, and I rather enjoyed it. Like one long barn dance.
3.5
Beastie Boys
2/5
Lotta long albums lately, huh?
Sabotage and Sure Shot aside, not a lot on here excited me. There wasn't as much playfulness as I was expecting (except the start of Heart Attack Man). I guess this album was intended to be more experimental, but I found the experiments pretty hit and miss: a few interesting bits of production, but also plenty of blandness.
2.5
Deep Purple
3/5
Wasn't too excited when this album popped up so it was fighting an uphill battle from the off, but it was fine really. Probably more forward-thinking at the time than it sounds now. Good vocals & lots of Doors-y organ bits that I didn't expect. Child in Time is textbook OTT rock and I dig Living Wreck too.
Patti Smith
3/5
I was excited to finally give this a listen, but ended up respecting it more than really loving it. Somehow it stands apart from the music came before it (despite not really introducing any new sounds), and had a massive influence on what came after (despite not really sounding like what ‘punk’ eventually became). It also very clearly inspired Razorlight - make of that what you will.
I like the energy and there are some thrilling moments but also lots of meandering in between. I don’t feel compelled to keep returning to this album.
3 / 3.5 for influence or whatever.
Funkadelic
3/5
Started out too funky for me.
Then I heard Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?! and was completely swept up by the groove. The following track was exquisitely mental and suddenly I was all won over.
Then it got a bit too funky again, before finishing quite well.
I've got a bunch of 4 star reviews burning a hole in my pocket but the albums are just too darned inconsistent lately. Another 3.5 is the best I can do.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
I was first introduced to ‘CCR’ when Up Around The Bend appeared on Guitar Hero 4. I did not care for it. The first four tracks on Cosmo’s Factory only reinforced the sense of ‘meh’ I felt towards this band.
Singer’s got a great voice though, and the softer numbers like Who’ll Stop The Rain and Lookin’ Out My Back Door are very nice. The latter even references generator legend Buck Owens and that alone is enough for me to round up from a 2.5.
The Beach Boys
2/5
Ooh, 70s Beach Boys. Intriguing.
I found the attempts to push their sound and their lyrical themes forward interesting, and I feel like there’s a mystery quality to it that might reveal itself over time. But equally I’ve given it a few spins now and there still aren’t any tracks that have burrowed their way into my psyche.
Maybe a bit harsh, but 2.5 stars.
Billy Joel
4/5
These days I have lots of respect for Billy Joel’s back catalogue - it’s not just Uptown Girl, like I thought when I was younger… This album in particular is stacked with great songs (+ the odd schmaltzy dud, but mainly just top-notch songwriting).
The Clash
3/5
The punk sound is impressively fully-formed for a debut. I enjoyed it quite a lot, and I respect its status as a great of the genre, but don't think it will become an all-time favourite of mine.
A few bangers though: Janie Jones, Career Opportunities, I'm so Bored with the U.S.A, etc etc.
3.5 stars.
The The
3/5
Very nice discovery. Based on an 80s template sound but with a lot of life and creativity mixed in. Most tracks go on a bit long. 3.5.
William Orbit
2/5
More than adequate as background music I'm sure, but I listened as foreground music and found myself checking how long was left to go from very early on...
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Seems like the exact midpoint between their early, funk-driven albums and their more melodic (better) later style.
It could definitely use some culling, but there are enough great tracks (in the first 2/3 of the album especially) to warrant a good score. HOT TAKE: Breaking The Girl is low-key one of the best Chilis tracks. Just terrific.
Wilco
2/5
I don't get the hype around Wilco (wait, *is* there any hype around Wilco?)
This all just seems so... ordinary.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
More of a 'nice to hear' than a 'must hear', but it was nice to hear it all the same. Also nice to be reminded of what absolute bangers Zero and Heads Will Roll are, and they *almost* earned the album a fourth star.
3.5
Wire
3/5
Never heard of Wire, but I liked this album. It seems to have spawned half a dozen different musical sub-genres in one go, and it moves between them at pace. I've got a lot of time for bands who keep the songs to under 90 seconds. Literally.
The Auteurs
4/5
Never heard of The Auteurs, and judging by the brevity of this album’s wikipedia entry it kinda fluked its way onto the list. But I liked it!
I thought the The Neil Tennant/Ian Broudie style vocals would start to annoy me but they didn’t. There are lots of nice melodies, decent 90s guitars and some interesting lines.
3.5, but I’ll round up because I think it deserves more love than it’s evidently had.
Nitin Sawhney
2/5
A lot of this really isn't my cuppa tea, but I found the Indian strings and scatty vocals on tracks like Homeland, Serpents and The Conference kinda cool, so it deserves some credit.
The Offspring
4/5
I do like Dexter Holland’s voice. And his name. And The Offspring’s blend of the angsty/angry and the funny/silly. IMO they perfected the formula on Americana but I’m biased because that’s the one I grew up with.
Good album though, and one that clearly helped shape the 90s/00s pop-punk movement.
Rush
3/5
My first Rush album, and it was more or less what I expected. Sometimes enjoyable, sometimes meandering, always technically excellent. My favourites were Limelight and Vital Signs, which might be the least proggy tracks. Coincidence? Probably not.
The Who
2/5
Eh, it's ok. Some of it sounds very of-its-time, some of the louder bits were probably quite forward-thinking and some of it still sounds stuck in the 50s. Without the title track I can't see how this would be considered such an important album.
Think I've been plenty generous to The Who with my previous ratings so I'll be harsher here - 2.5 stars.
Orbital
3/5
Started out thinking that techno doesn't really translate to the recorded album format but by halfway I was quite into it.
In the battle of albums on this list released in 1993 by English electronic artists with 'Orbit' in their name, this wins hands down for me. Sorry, William.
Little Richard
3/5
I enjoyed it somewhat (bit samey), but I respect it a lot.
One of a handful of albums (as far as albums go anyway - I guess the singles on the radio & raucous live performances were more important back then?) that can claim to have kickstarted rock ’n’ roll. Plus unlike that Elvis fella Richard actually seems to have written most of his own songs.
The Smiths
5/5
I see what you did here, generator. Well played.
The music is pretty/vibrant/wistful/savage. The lyrics are heartfelt/snarky/whimsical/funny. After some consideration, I’ve decided this is an album that lives up to the hype.
Cheap Trick
2/5
I don't mind Cheap Trick; they have some good tunes, and a couple of them are on here. But what's this live album doing on the list? The sound quality isn't great, it's not wall-to-wall bangers and the concert itself doesn't seem particularly legendary. The audience seem to enjoy it, though.
Dolly Parton
3/5
At last, a country music supergroup album.
Y'know, there are times when the beautiful harmonies and simple guitar chord progressions of old-school country songs really hit the spot. These times usually only last 15-20 minutes though and then I get a bit bored.
Death In Vegas
3/5
We've had a few of these albums now. You know the sort: lots of beats/grooves, but not really dance music and not exactly trip-hop. Mostly instrumental but with occasional vocals. Vaguely psychedelic, kind of quirky and eclectic, but also ultimately a bit samey and unremarkable. All of them from the 90s. I can understand having one or two of them on the list but surely they're not all 'must-hears'.
Was this one a bit better than the others? I dunno. Maybe? 2.5 / 3, I guess.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
I'd heard Tusk was an experimental, overblown mess that confused people, so I thought it might be right up my street (plus I was familiar with the title track, which absolutely slaps).
In truth it’s not all that weird, but it is a bit inconsistent in style and in quality. In general I’m a big fan of the scuzzy Lindsey Buckingham numbers like The Ledge, but the Nicks/McVie tracks don’t match up to their Rumours offerings.
Still enjoyed it though: 3 / 3.5
Buena Vista Social Club
4/5
Am I too generous to Latin music albums? Possibly. But this seems like a particularly good one, capable of making me smile with both the major and the minor key tunes.
Plus, there’s a track which is has the same name as the album which has the same name as the artist. Which is satisfying.
Loses some kudos because most tracks are just covers of Cuban ‘standards’ (albeit some of them written by BVSC members, I think…?) But yeah, I can definitely see myself listening to this again, even if just in a background setting.
3.5
Dolly Parton
3/5
I guess I like this about as much as the Trio album the other day. That seemed more focused on sweet, syrupy harmonies though, whereas solid songwriting is a bit more to the fore here, and I respect that.
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Probably his best album? I haven't listened to as much hip-hop in the past decade as I used to but after I first heard BDKMV I knew this guy was worth keeping an eye on.
I reckon what sets Kendrick apart is his ability to come at traditional gangster rap themes from smart, introspective angles, (see: The Art of Peer Pressure and Swimming Pools for two examples) and be accepted/adulated equally by fans of each.
Plus, while the writing and storytelling is the main selling point, the production is usually decent too.
I think it's a great album and well worth a 4 or 4.5, though the full 70-minute runtime can occasionally become a bit of a slog, for me.
Röyksopp
3/5
Hey look, it's that song the was on everything in the early 00s! I'm also getting a strong whiff of nostalgia from So Easy. Simpler times...
Roughly half of this is bleepy bloopy Nordic magic and the other half is just-ok background stuff. Potentially would listen again in future.
Eminem
4/5
It’s my first time listening to this, somehow, and I think it’s very good - the Eminem sound/style is much more fully-formed than I expected. Ok, there a couple of places where he’d still not quite worked it out, and a few weaker tracks in the middle, but it’s an impressive debut all the same. It must’ve stood out from a mile away back then - there still isn’t anyone else who sounds like this.
3.5 / 4
Yes
2/5
I didn’t dislike any of it but it mostly passed me by (I enjoy the fingerpicked acoustic bits the most). The other proggy albums we’ve had so far grabbed me a bit more. It did grow on me more the second time round though.
A strong 2.5 stars.
CHIC
3/5
I thought a Chic album would get a solid 3.5 from me (4 if I had my dancing shoes on at the time), but this does feel a bit like Le Freak, I Want Your Love plus a lot of filler.
It must have some magic quality though, as singing the words 'at last I am free, I can hardly see in front of me' for 7 minutes over the same lethargic chord progression sounds like a terrible idea for a song, but I grew to like it.
Isaac Hayes
2/5
Maybe it's that I don't much like soul music, or maybe I just don't like my soul hot buttered (or maybe I just don't have a soul, who can say?), but this veered towards 1-star territory for me. Sorry, Chef.
The tracks go on far too long and all but one of them are covers (and not necessarily improvements on the originals). Some of the instrumentation is good though.
The Chemical Brothers
3/5
The Chemical Brothers are great, and as the world's introduction to their squelchy, electrified beats I guess this is a pretty important album. I like the way the first half flows like a live set and the added variety in the second half.
But, be honest, do any of these tracks make it into their top 10, or even top 20 greatest? Better was to come.
Fishbone
3/5
Went into this not knowing what kind of music to expect and came out of it still not really knowing what kind of music 'Fishbone' made/make.
It's ska, funk, hair metal, soft rock, 80s pop... Definitely a bit Faith No Moreish at times. It’s all over the place and often quite cheesy, but usually fun. Ma and Pa & the Pixies-esque Slow Bus Movin’ were my favourites.
Pretenders
3/5
The artfully delivered 'fuck off' on Precious is great. Shortly after that I started to lose interest though. It's that kind of in-betweeny rock that's completely fine but doesn't excel at any particular thing. Brass In Pocket probably is the track that stands out the most.
I'll give it 2.5.
Joy Division
4/5
Well, it's a hugely seminal album and *arguably* Macclesfield's biggest contribution to music, so I feel a kinship to it for that.
Half of the tracks are classics (the run of New Dawn Fades - She's Lost Control - Shadowplay is dark, twitchy brilliance), while the other half are still big on those atmospheric studio textures, but lacking something in terms of songcraft.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
It's not the MBV album I was expecting to come up, and I'm not sure what I think of it.
It sounds like a band still figuring out their sound - the heavy-but-dreamy thing only works sporadically here. Some of the tracks are sonically interesting but actually quite hard to listen to/enjoy.
2.5
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
An improvement on Exit Planet Dust I reckon. I still think their more recent albums have more going for them, but I can see why this is rated highly. It’s got some bigger hits than EPD and the last few tracks where they mix up the pace a bit are great.
3.5
Beatles
4/5
It’s not the album I’d play to non-believers to convince them of the Beatles’ genius as there are a lot of songs on here that sound like jokes, or unfinished (both may be true, but usually in a good way). It might be the album that best displays the breadth of what they could do, though.
In amongst some stone cold classics like While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Helter Skelter, Blackbird and Back in the U.S.S.R. there are some excellent John Lennon compositions (Happiness Is A Warm Gun, Dear Prudence, Glass Onion, Cry Baby Cry etc), and some genuine oddballs, just because it’s The Beatles and they could do what they liked.
I remember being a bit underwhelmed when I first heard the album but now I find something new to enjoy with each listen. There’s some filler of course, but not as much as I first thought (and it’s part of the fun anyway). The first disc is great.
4.5
De La Soul
3/5
It’s fun, but I really expected to like it more. It starts off really fresh and exciting but by the second half it gets a bit samey to my ears, musically at least. I’d like to give it another chance but maybe in smaller chunks rather than slogging through the whole thing again.
Cool that it invented the ‘skit’, though I guess that means it’s got a lot to answer for, too…
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Custard Pie is a bit crap (the song, not the pie), and I can take or leave everything after Ten Years Gone, but most of the rest is excellent, in different ways.
Bron-Yr-Aur & Down by the Seaside were lovely new discoveries, and Kashmir alone is worth a couple of stars, I reckon.
Paul Weller
3/5
I wasn’t remotely excited to see this come up, but credit where it’s due; there are some good tracks on here, especially the first two.
It undeniably reeks of Dad Rock though - the kind of mid-tempo plodders that men of a certain age worship but would probably bore the living bejebus out of the younger generation.
It doesn’t sound like a must-hear record at all, so 2.5 stars. But I personally didn’t mind it, so I’ll round up. I guess I must be getting worryingly close to ‘dad’ age?
Willie Nelson
3/5
There’s something captivating about this. Simple, authentic country music appeals to me (for what it evokes more than how it sounds), and short, flowing concept albums interest me too.
In other ways it’s not my usual bag, but I’m glad I was introduced to it.
3.5
The Beau Brummels
3/5
Nice bit of folkadelia (I'm sure I haven't made that word up, but Google suggests otherwise...)
It's short enough that the fantasy elements didn't get stale and old enough to make me think it's not too derivative of other bands.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
I refer you to my comments on the previous Sinatra album (though actually I preferred those up-tempo swingers to these dirges).
Every now and then, if circumstances called for a dose of hazy old-timey melancholy, I could see one of these tracks hitting the spot. But as a whole album, my god it drags. So samey, musically and lyrically. Plus, the Lionel Richie cover didn’t work at all.
Alice Cooper
3/5
Fair play, this has a lot more to it than I was expecting; it ain’t just big dumb rockers about school (though there are a couple of those). There’s a definite theatricality to it, which I guess fits in which Alice’s image - even if it’s more pantomime than anything really shocking. Fun though.
3.5
The Smiths
4/5
Really enjoying this continued deep dive into The Smiths’ back catalogue. Whilst this one doesn’t contain the biggest hits (though I’ve always loved ‘I Started Something’), the music and production had become so vibrant at this point. It tails off a bit at the end, but overall, a cracking listen and a fitting swan song.
Goldfrapp
2/5
Lovely Head will never not remind me of Monkey Dust, so that’s worth a star. I wasn’t expecting the rest of the album to sound like that for some reason, but it’s all in much the same vein.
It’s almost my style, but not quite - I’d probably appreciate it if I was in a very specific mood, but otherwise I’d get a little bored. Tracks 7 & 8 bring some welcome energy though.
2.5 stars.
Beatles
5/5
There are several songs on Revolver that sound completely different from any previous Beatles album, or any previous album by anybody. It’s got that edge, that weirdness, that dreaminess that, if reviews from people who lived through it are to be believed, changed music forever.
It’s still got those perfect McCartney melodies. It’s got a song called I’m Only Sleeping which has no right to be as good as it is. They released Yellow Submarine as a double A-side with Eleanor Rigby FFS - what more do you want?!
George Michael
3/5
Clever album title! It certainly made me listen with an open mind. The first few tracks were really impressive, and did indeed raise George Michael in my estimation as an all-round singer/songwriter/producer of substance.
The middle of the album was much less uninspiring - there are some pretty ordinary nothing-y sort of songs there.
But overall, a worthwhile listen (and that’s without prejudice).
Sade
1/5
‘Quiet Storm’. Thanks to this process, I’m learning to put a name to that type of bland-smooth-muzaky music my ears instinctively reject. At least the Anita album had one legitimate banger I’d choose to revisit.
Also, Sade is the name of a whole band?! Makes me feel less bad about dishing out a scathing review, at least.
1.5
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
3/5
Knew the name, not the sound, but pleased to report I found it to be both bonnie and princely. Obviously it's a bit morbid (no problem) and one-paced (can be a problem), but for the most part it kept me enchanted with its earnest musings. Death To Everyone and the title track stood out as highlights.
3.5
Nirvana
5/5
One of the easier 5s. Great hooks in every song, but no less heavy or visceral for it. Those drums! My word. Well done Butch & the gang. Believe the hype!
Steve Earle
2/5
It feels like there’s a direct line leading from this to Blake Shelton’s ‘Boys Round Here’, and for that I don’t know whether to give it 1 star or 5.
Goodbye’s All We’ve Got Left is a decent song (and strangely familiar), but a lot of it’s a bit… ehhh ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Public Enemy
3/5
Another classic early hip-hop album that I felt a little underwhelmed by - I’d say I enjoyed it about as much as Apocalypse 91.
The production didn’t do much for me (with some exceptions, like She Watch Channel Zero?! and Show ‘Em Whatcha Got, it all sounds pretty similar), and this probably stopped me concentrating on the supposedly political verses a lot of the time.
But I do respect that both the lyrics and the music were considered game-changing when the album was released.
Solomon Burke
2/5
Rock ’N Soul is exactly how I would’ve described the music on the album, too. It’s very evocative of a certain era, and very sweet on the ears. For enjoyment alone, it’s a solid 3.
Buuut it’s an album of covers, and you know my feelings about those, in the context of this list.
2.5
Tim Buckley
3/5
Jeff is still my favourite Buckley, but Tim sure could sing too, it seems (aside: I never realised he died even younger than his son - tragic).
I don't mind a bit of lightly experimental, vaguely psychedelic 60s folk-rock; No Man Can Find the War, Pleasant Street, and Once I Was are good tracks.
It can get a bit much when he goes all medieval rock-opera though.
Everything But The Girl
1/5
I thought this was an album by the band Idlewild at first, but alas.
The music does nothing for me. Some of the lyrics at least have a bit of individuality to them, albeit in a super inoffensive way.
The only song I recognised was a cover and apparently not even on the original release.
1.5
The Yardbirds
3/5
I had The Yardbirds down as a 'supergroup', but if the 'super' members weren't famous before they were in the group (and furthermore, weren't even all in the group at the same time), then I guess I'll have to recategorise them as just a 'group'. Shame.
Anyway, this was a bit quirkier than I expected. Take Hot House of Omagarashid: two and a half minutes of 'ya ya ya'. Nuts. I think I like it? Also, the album art probably bumps this up half a star or so.
CHIC
3/5
Good Times is omnipresent but it's never been my favourite (gimme Everybody Dance any day of the week). Like the other Chic album, it's pretty hit and miss, and a few tracks are unnecessarily long. My Forbidden Lover and What About Me got me bopping though.
2.5
Mike Oldfield
4/5
I've been looking forward to finally giving this one a go.
It's great! Some really cool moments, like when a voice suddenly starts announcing the instruments 20 mins into Pt. I, and that demented growling sound in Pt. II. The tracks are long, but for the most part Mike keeps them interesting and surprising.
Strange how something like this became so mainstream but I guess, like the Nizlopis and Sandi Thoms of this world, oddities do come to the fore sometimes. It's an impressive piece of work regardless, especially given it was composed and performed largely by one teenager. Absolutely belongs on an 'albums to hear before you die' list.
Nina Simone
3/5
A lot to like about this one. One of music's most distinctive and expressive voices, and interesting arrangements of some good songs. A few more originals would've been nice though; the one song she wrote herself is a good'un.
3.5
Slayer
2/5
I didn’t hate it. There are a couple of good riffs and I like that it’s short, brutal and to the point. But it’s a bit *too* thrashy for me, and too samey to boot. It’s probably not something I’d choose to listen to again.
Raining Blood brings back happy Guitar Hero memories though.
2.5
Suicide
2/5
Clearly way ahead of its time, and I actually quite like the monotonous synthy soundscapes they create, but after a few tracks it became apparent they were one trick ponies. Gets 2 stars for style, half a star for substance.
Megadeth
3/5
Ok I’ve heard something from all the Big Four now, and I reckon Megadeth are a comfortable second for me (behind Metallica, obvs).
There’s just more to hold onto in terms of hooks and melody than, say, Slayer. Some great guitar parts on here. It’s more in the Iron Maiden mould: a bit cheesy at times but good, clean, speed metal fun.
3.5
Adele
2/5
I don’t mind admitting to enjoying some of Adele’s singles (like the first couple of songs) but I find a lot of the album tracks too cloying. Water Under the Bridge sounds exactly like a piece of stock background music for an ‘inspirational’ corporate video FFS.
There’s half a decent album in there, but not a must hear.
It’s a 2.5 for 25.
The Jam
3/5
Can’t score it too low as it’s all fine, really. Some decent lyrics, some nice tunes, & the production values are more advanced than I expected (i.e. it sounds nice and crisp. It helps that the band is tight, I guess).
Can’t score it too high as there aren’t really any standout tracks, just a lot of quite good ones and a couple of underwhelming ones. It would be pretty unremarkable if released today, but I guess it’s not too much of a stretch to imagine it being a milestone release in the 70s.
Boards of Canada
3/5
Some spooky sounds. Some pretty sounds. Some cool, glitchy sounds. Some boring sounds. Lots of sounds that inspired Thom Yorke. Some highly irregular counting.
I’ve changed my mind on this one a few times but I think it warrants credit for creating a distinctive, cohesive mood.
Ramones
3/5
Kinda bad but kinda good: 2.5 stars.
Smithers, have the Rolling Stones killed.
Arctic Monkeys
5/5
I have mixed feelings about Arctic Monkeys. They fulfil so many of the criteria for being that Beatles-esque, generation-defining band that all the critics clearly want them to be (a gang of smart, witty northern upstarts that represented the youth of the day and took the charts by storm, then experimented and evolved on their own terms while still staying massive), but ultimately fall short due to a smattering of dull releases and lacklustre performances. The acclaim seems to keep coming regardless, which makes it harder to be a fan, I find.
There’s no doubt that when they get it right they’re a great band though, and this album is one of those occasions. The lyrics and drumming were always the highlights: hearing Alex Turner rhyme ‘dancefloor’ with ‘romance or’ was the first time I knew these guys had something, and learning to drum along with The View From the Afternoon is a proud teenage memory of mine. I always thought some of the weaker tunes were a bit pedestrian, musically, but returning to them now they sound more full of life and youth than I remember.
4.5
Buffalo Springfield
2/5
Not bad, but nothing grabbed me the way a lot of stuff from that era does. The album is lacking a classic tune, a For What It’s Worth, that would bump it up a star. The last two tracks were good though.
Also, I can’t not acknowledge the large debt that the opening track owes to the Rolling Stones…
2.5
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
This seems to be another of those 80s bands that were sort-of indie, except ‘indie’ didn’t really exist yet (I guess they called it ‘New Wave’ back then?)
First half I liked, some catchy melodies and interesting (if a bit pretentious/geeky) lyrics. Speedboat is a bit of a tune.
By the end of the album I was getting more easy-listening, poppy vibes (i.e. a little blander). 2.5 / 3
Rush
3/5
First thing in the morning isn't the best time to fully appreciate 20-minute sci-fi prog medleys, but I looked up the synopsis afterwards and it's pretty wild. Side 2 is more immediately enjoyable - some decent rockers on there.
I think I'm warming to Rush. There's something about their style that I like, even if the music doesn't click for me all the time. They seem like respectable chaps too.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
3/5
Such distinctive voices and such rich harmonies. It’s all very calming and feels good for the soul, like going for a nice walk in the African countryside. I do think I’d prefer it if the choir occasionally had musical accompaniment though, like on Graceland, to add a bit of colour.
Still, for an entirely a cappella album to hold my attention is no mean feat.
Curtis Mayfield
2/5
This was a step down from the Super Fly soundtrack in my opinion. The tempo's just too slow for the whole album - the songs and grooves aren't strong enough to plod on so long without going anywhere. The guy did have a heavenly falsetto though.
Ray Charles
3/5
Negatives: All covers. Again. Also, I’m sure there’s a raw, grizzled side to Ray Charles that isn’t on display at all here. I’m not saying I want 12 Hit the Road Jacks… but maybe I do?
Positives: I actually enjoyed listening to this quite a bit. It took a couple of spins to realise they were actually, clearly, country songs at heart. The orchestral arrangements make them sound more like jazz or swing ballads or something, but the combination of rich instrumentation, simple country songs and Ray’s vocals works well. Plus, I got overwhelming Christmas vibes from the whole album, which put me in the festive mood more than all the prematurely erected lights and decorations in town currently do.
Fairport Convention
3/5
I think my dad saw these guys live about a dozen times, so I told him this album had come up and was not surprised to learn that he bought it on the day of release. I’m only partly familiar with their output though (now, Richard Thompson solo, that’s a different matter altogether. I hope he’s lurking on the list somewhere).
The propulsive, guitar-driven tracks like Tam Lin and Matty Groves are classic English folk-rock, Crazy Man Michael is a great early Thompson composition, and Sandy Denny’s voice on Farewell, Farewell is particularly lovely. So, plenty of great moments, but the album as a whole is a mixed bag.
3 / 3.5
Gillian Welch
3/5
A new one to me, except Everything Is Free which I’m sure I’ve heard someone I like cover. It’s just vocals and acoustic guitar but there’s definitely something that sets it apart. It’s country, but almost completely cheese-free. A subtle, unnerving chord here, a wistful lyric there... At its best it’s quite enchanting. Probably need to be in a specific frame of mind to get the most out of it though.
3.5.
Jeru The Damaja
3/5
Never heard of this guy but he sounds, to my uninitiated ears, like an appealing middle-ground between East Coast gangsta rap and the chilled out, playful flow of a De La Soul or some such.
It only gets 2.5 stars because ultimately I don’t think any of it will live long in the memory. But I’ll round up because I feel like I’ve given other 90s rap albums that are probably no better than this higher marks based on name/reputation, and as we all know, two wrongs make a right.
T. Rex
4/5
I’ve got a soft spot for T.Rex based on the handful of songs I’ve heard, though none of them are on this album. No matter, the sound that I like is still in tact: melodic and pretty and spacey but also loud ‘n’ raucous and full of riffs.
A Children of the Revolution calibre anthem would really complete it (Buick Mackane lays down the prototype but clearly isn’t as good), but I found every track on here very listenable. Very listenable indeed.
Belle & Sebastian
2/5
I think maybe Belle and Sebastian are destined to be one of those indie bands that never quite do it for me (someone who likes a lot of indie bands).
I sort of get it - thoughtful, sympathetic lyrics and ‘nice’ inoffensive music. It reminded me a bit of that Lloyd Cole album that came up recently, and, like that album, sometimes it works. But other times it’s too twee for my tastes.
Expectations was the definite highlight.
2.5
Bee Gees
3/5
Was a bit surprised to see this one has such a low rating. Sure, it’s not the iconic disco Bee Gees, but I thought it was a decent stab at Beatles-esque, cinematic pop-rock.
Admittedly on second listen I realised there were too many ballads and a couple of stinkers… still, it just barely clings onto its third star.
Ute Lemper
3/5
This seems like one of those albums that didn’t make a splash commercially or critically but the book compiler has decided ‘fuck it, we’ve not had any German cabaret singers interpreting rock’s most melodramatic songwriters, let’s stick this in’. And you know what, I don’t mind it. It’s something different. Not a genre I'd usually listen to but a bit of Bond-theme bombast every once in a while is no bad thing.
Raekwon
2/5
Well, it’s clearly too gangster for me but I did get into it at times - Criminology and Verbal Intercourse had good beats, for instance. I don’t know Wu-Tang well enough (or at all, really) to properly appreciate/differentiate their various guest spots.
Q-Tip
4/5
I like Q-Tip, and while I don’t think this album is game-changing I enjoyed it plenty. He’s still got that irresistible voice and there’s some nifty modern-retro production.
3.5
Elton John
4/5
Cor, there are some big hitters on here. None more so than the title track, which is possibly Elton’s best, in my opinion. The album tracks are mostly very good too, but not always - it would probably benefit from being a single disc, and cutting a chunk out of the middle (tracks 7-11, for instance) would be the easiest way to achieve that.
Still, it’s got me excited to see the big man on the Pyramid Stage next year.
Brian Wilson
3/5
I was vaguely familiar with the story of this album but didn’t know that several of the songs written for it ended up on other Beach Boys releases. Most notable among them is Good Vibrations, which is comfortably the best thing on here, and I now realise I still haven’t heard anything else quite like it, even after all these years. Trying to make a whole album as good as that would cause anyone to have a breakdown.
It’s a pleasingly odd record but I don’t think it’s a masterpiece; there just aren’t enough great tunes. Still, I always respect albums that flow seamlessly, have recurring motifs, and are greater than the sum of their parts. Even without the mythology behind it Smile offers something different to this list.
3.5
Saint Etienne
2/5
It’s good to finally put a sound to another familiar band name.
They seem like a cross between early 90s dance and easy listening, two of my less favourite genres. Considering this, it wasn’t bad. The Neil Young cover and Nothing Can Stop Us were high points and the samples on Wilson were fun (possibly inspiring The Prodigy’s ‘Charly’?). It doesn’t do enough to be labelled a ‘must-hear’ for me though, Clive.
Also, I didn’t need to hear the words ‘France football’ in the intro today. Too soon >:(
2.5
3/5
Urgh. On paper I should hate this, as it covers all the worst bits of 80s pop. Yet somehow I just can’t… resist… those… funky… hooks…
Harry Nilsson
3/5
Wasn't sure about this at first. But then I put de lime in de coconut, drank it all up, and was satiated.
The Stooges
3/5
It’s an improvement on their debut (as a case in point I prefer the grungey chaos of ‘1970’ to the scuzzy ‘1969’), but I’m still not completely convinced. There’s a lot of repetition on each track, and one seventh of the album is just noise.
I do get that it would’ve come into its own live ’n’ loud, and that it was probably an important hard rock/proto-punk milestone… I’ll give it a generous 3 to encourage the lads to keep making progress on their next album.
Kraftwerk
3/5
Yep, still surprised by how much I’m enjoying Kraftwerk. And when I’m not enjoying them so much, I’m still impressed by how ahead of their time they sound.
The eerie ascending synths on The Hall of Mirrors are a highlight, and Franz Schubert is a very pretty contrast to the industrial chugging of the preceding three tracks - like a train emerging from a stormy overnight journey into a peaceful valley. Also, Showroom Dummies seems like a very lo-tech precursor to The Robots, which is amusing.
Track one really does feel ‘endless’ though - the length of some of the tunes is a bit of a negative.
3.5
Frank Zappa
2/5
So this is Zappa? Huh. I guess I wasn’t expecting it to be so jazzy. There are moments on track 1, and the start of tracks 2 and 3, where the 'non-rock' instruments (violins, flutes etc) mesh just right and I really dig it. The rest of the time I found it veered too much towards either generic rock soloing or free form jazz, without finding an enjoyable balance.
A quick Wikipedia tells me today would’ve been his birthday. Happy 82nd, Frank.
Soul II Soul
1/5
Different strokes and all that, but 28th Greatest British Album Ever, Q magazine?! I really don’t get what’s so special about this album, even if you like this kind of music. Which I don’t.
I thought Back To Life was going to redeem it somewhat, but the album version, it turns out, takes an age to get going.
1.5
GZA
2/5
Having heard the Raekwon album recently I feel I at least have a reference to compare this against, and my verdict is… they’re pretty similar. The murky beats on this one maybe create a more consistent mood but OB4CL has more standouts. It’s an album that sounds perfectly competent but it must be 'one for the purists', as nothing really excited me (my favourite was the bonus track, which apparently doesn’t even feature GZA…)
Tom Waits
3/5
This is my first time hearing a Tom Waits album and I’m not sure what to make of it.
Obviously that caricature of a voice is the first thing you notice… I think it suits the gritty, bluesy songs better but the slower ones have a bit a Fairytale of New York thing about them which sort of works? He’s probably a taste I still haven't fully acquired but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt for now.
The Beach Boys
4/5
I first listened to this in preparation for Brian Wilson’s ‘Pet Sounds in full’ set at Primavera a few years back. We were still queueing up during the first few tracks, but it was only really Wouldn’t It Be Nice that I was sad to miss (the second half of the album is stronger; God Only Knows, like Good Vibrations, deserves all the praise it gets).
I appreciate that the lush instrumentation was particularly sophisticated for its time, and I don’t mind the introverted nature of most of the tracks, but occasionally it’s all a bit *too* placid.
Still, a solid 4 for attainment / 4.5 for effort.
Love
4/5
As a kid I spent a lot of time listening to a 60s compilation album my parents had. Absolutely loads of great tracks on it, but Alone Again Or was up there as one of my favourites.
Maybe because of that childhood soundtrack I’ve been rooting for the generator to show me a 60s Summer of Love-era album I can really get behind - most of them so far had their moments but ultimately disappointed. I think this one is worth my support, though. It’s not wall-to-wall greatness but it’s pretty consistent. Good melodies and arrangements, lyrics that flit between disarmingly simple and obscure, and a general air of wistfulness that I guess matches how I view the whole flower power thing from afar. Plus, mariachi trumpets!
fIREHOSE
2/5
I’d never heard of this band but I don’t think I’ve been missing all that much, really. They’ve got a couple of agreeable ditties and a playful streak, but nothing special or groundbreaking.
Queen
4/5
Good fun! Killer Queen is one of their best, but even the weaker cuts were enjoyable enough.
It’s a winning blend of catchy, campy English pop, theatrical anthems and tracks that genuinely rock quite hard. The appeal of Queen in a nutshell, really.
Massive Attack
3/5
First off I’d like to put on record that I’m quite a big Massive Attack fan. Heligoland (massively underrated) and Mezzanine (rightfully revered) are both superior albums, but I think I’m right in believing *neither* are on the list..??
By contrast, I found this one a bit disappointing. It veers a bit too much towards background lounge music for me, with less emphasis on those dark, mysterious or abrasive sounds that I enjoy in other MA albums.
2.5 stars, but I’ll round up because there are still a handful of redeeming tracks on here.
Britney Spears
2/5
Probably deserves to be on the list for cultural impact? The title track still sounds huge and a couple of the other singles are either also genuinely decent or at least hold some nostalgia value.
The rest is trash, really. But I suppose it was primarily aimed at kids.
Franz Ferdinand
4/5
I really liked Take Me Out when I first heard it in the car on the way to (or back from?) school, but I was initially sceptical about the hype surrounding Franz Ferdinand for some reason (I think it's because I was always sceptical about hype...)
Anyway, I got over it and lucky I did, because this is a great album that hasn't diminished with age. No duds on here, just a lean set of tunes in a distinctive style that's ominous but danceable at the same time.
Faust
3/5
LOL at some fans apparently labelling this a "sell-out" album. Could be true for all I know, but it's still one of the least mainstream sounding records on this list.
I *think* I like krautrock based on what little I've heard before but honestly this has left me none the wiser about what krautrock actually is. Surely there are about 8 different genres on here...?
Consider me suitably beguiled though.
Erykah Badu
2/5
Probably decent if you're into this sort of music but it's not for me. I enjoyed the first track, a couple more were ok, but after 70+ minutes I was thoroughly bored.
Judas Priest
3/5
Started out thinking it had neither the adrenaline-fuelled riffs of some heavier, thrashier bands, nor the silly fun of some of the more OTT metal bands. It's a not-completely-satisfying mix of the two, but by the end it won me over a bit by veering off in unexpected directions, like reggae (The Rage).
2.5 / 3
Stereo MC's
3/5
I don't know if it's actually any good (it sounds a lot like the kind of dancey 90s fluff I'd normally score pretty low) but to my surprise I quite enjoyed this - it's infectious. Maybe I just needed some funky breakbeats to oscillate along to on a chilly day.
Country Joe & The Fish
2/5
This didn't really do it for me - there are plenty of other 60s West Coast groups that just have a bit more about them.
I like the band name though.
Rod Stewart
2/5
It’s the kind of MOR seventies rock I can never get too excited about, no matter how much effort Raspy Rod puts into it.
And again, it’s a shame that it’s two-thirds covers. I genuinely think Gasoline Alley and Jo's Lament, two of his own compositions, are among the strongest tunes on the album. Those and the final track.
2.5
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
The scope of this album is incredible. It contains some of the heaviest, grungiest, downright filthiest guitar music committed to record (ably backed by one of rock’s best drummers, Mr Jimmy Chamberlin), side-by-side with some of the quietest and most delicate. Then somewhere in between you’ve got masterpieces like Tonight Tonight and 1979, and underrated bangers like Love. It’s probably important to factor in that Billy Corgan explicitly said it was aimed at 14-24 year olds (y’know, the age when people still feel feelings) and I for one vividly remember many angsty teenage nights soundtracked by Bullet With Butterfly Wings or Bodies.
It’s 2 hours long, so there’s obviously gonna be some flab (mainly towards the end of disc 2) but I don’t think condensing it was ever an option - this was always intended to be a grand, sprawling opus.
4.5. But yeah, I’ll round up. The highs are so high, and the lows aren’t really that low, so I think sheer force of ambition wins out over perfection here.
George Harrison
4/5
I'd heard of this album but was surprised to read about how much more successful it was than the other Beatles' solo efforts. Interesting.
As a lad, hearing My Sweet Lord almost made me want to become religious. It still kinda does to be honest.
There are a few other great songs in that same lovely vein (maybe not quite as divine), and a couple of fun rockers for good measure. Yup, I'm getting good vibes from this one.
3.5 / 4
The Doors
4/5
The praise for this one is understandable - The Doors definitely had something unique. For sure it's one of the most impressive debut albums, as their signature sound was already fully formed, and there are some truly classic tracks as well. When the organ riff in Light My Fire slots back in after all the soloing it's always a great moment, every time I hear it.
I'd stop short of saying it's one of the best ever albums period, though.
Ali Farka Touré
3/5
My immediate thought was to compare this with the Songhoy Blues album (then I learned they were both from Mali so that's fair enough, right...?). They cover similar musical territory, but this one has less of the neat rock song structures I like about SB and more looser, jam-like tunes. It is big on sizzling deserty vibes though, which I can usually get on board with.
Rod Stewart
2/5
Not sure I needed to hear two Rod Stewart albums in one week. This one seems very similar to the last one, so it’s getting a similar review:
Some good moments but generally a bit dull and uninspired. His own writing is decent so why waste so much time on mediocre covers? etc etc
Gang Of Four
3/5
This sounds like an influential album, both on 80s post-punk groups and 00s indie bands. The playing is tight, the lyrics are sharp, and there's a sense of purpose about the whole thing. Despite all this I find it a bit hard to love. Might just be a bit samey, musically?
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
Yet another Neil Young album, and this one scores low on the 'why is it here?' scale. It doesn't seem particularly important or revolutionary for the artist, let alone for music in general.
I don't mind the music; F*!#in' Up is a tune and the general garage rock feel is enjoyable. Even the length of some of the tracks didn't bother me too much... at first. Second time around the instrumental breaks really seemed to drag.
2.5 stars.
Einstürzende Neubauten
1/5
If I was being charitable I could say that these creepy soundscapes and industrial rhythms helped lay the groundwork for Burial, Nine Inch Nails and others to build upon, or that the extreme experimentation and complete disregard for pleasant sounds is way more punk than anything else on this list. I could also say that this album would make an ideal soundtrack to a horror film, or horror video game, or horrifying mental breakdown.
But I can't in all conscience call it good music.
1.5
Serge Gainsbourg
3/5
After initial bouts of 'wtf is this' and 'wow, this guy must REALLY like someone called Melody Nelson', I found the whole thing quite captivating. Musically it's very interesting and I can hear bits of Beck and Air in there.
Can't understand much of what he's saying of course. I hope it's nothing dodgy...
3 / 3.5
Pixies
4/5
All the features that make Pixies unique and great are here on album one, though there's a bit of inconsistency in the songwriting. It's all good fun at the time, but if I'm honest with myself half the tunes don't stick in the memory afterwards.
It's a 3.5 regardless, and because of the big, big presence of Gigantic, Where Is My Mind? and (to a lesser extent) Bone Machine I feel compelled to round up.
Nas
3/5
While this doesn't scream 'best rap album ever' to me, I think I'm starting to understand the hype. It all just seems very accomplished; the production is catchy and the rhyming is impressively assured for someone who was so young.
To real key to greatness is probably in the lyrics, and people who know better than me say the storytelling/social reporting is top notch. I'm not really hearing it yet, but to properly immerse myself in the words is gonna take a few more listens.
Still, with its strong production (plus a relatively short running time), Illmatic has given itself a decent chance of getting those additional listens from me, at some point.
3.5
Madness
3/5
I was into Madness' singles when I was younger but never had much inclination to listen to a full album. I've no idea if this is their best one but I like it; there's not as much filler as I expected.
I've read suggestions that this is a kind of spiritual predecessor to Blur's defiantly English Britpop output and that's a reasonable shout, actually. Not as good though.
3.5
The Flaming Lips
3/5
Another lush and pleasant listening experience from The Flaming Lips, who aren't one of the truly great bands in my book but I can certainly enjoy them at their best, and would like to see them live one day.
3.5 again, though I think this album might be a bit better than YBTPR on the whole, despite lacking that one really classic song.
Yes
3/5
I don't care for the incessant noodling and I tend to zone out during the longer tracks, but maybe there are enough interesting bits and pieces here to warrant a 3. They got the formula just right with Long Distance Runaround - it's inventive and technical and weird but with accessible hooks.
Good job their butchering of 'America' isn't part of the original release though as I'd be forced to knock this down to a 2...
Stevie Wonder
3/5
I'm finding my enjoyment of Stevie Wonder albums largely depends on the schmaltz-squelch ratio. This one gets off to a bad start: 4 pretty schmaltzy numbers in the first 5.
The second half is better, though, with You Haven't Done Nothin' in particular bringing some of that lovely squelchy goodness.
They Won't Go When I Go doesn't fit into either category but it is a tune, and a welcome addition to the 'songs that appear on multiple of the 1001 albums' club.
4/5
That opening trio takes some beating, huh? To be honest I was expecting more from the rest of the album. I think U2 at their best are great, and I was fully ready to hail this as the masterpiece many people say it is, but I don't think all the tunes quite match the obvious ambition.
Having said that, I did discover some new tracks I like (Bullet The Blue Sky, In God's Country), and the others grew on me after a while, so maybe I'll call it a near-masterpiece... One Tree Hill the song isn't as good as One Tree Hill the TV show, though.
4.5
The Pogues
4/5
I shouldn't have been surprised that I enjoyed this so much, really; I've always had a thing for traditional Irish music. There are lots of irresistible Celtic (& other European) rhythms to dance or yell wildly along to here, plus some grit and substance to the lyrics.
Also, though it's easy to disregard on a February day such as this, there's one of the most iconic Christmas songs ever on here too. Which has to be worth something, no?
Red Snapper
2/5
Does it have its moments? Sure.
Does it belong on this list? Nope. We've had 4 or 5 albums from the 90s/00s 'assorted background beats' scene so far, and that already feels like an overrepresentation. Definitely didn't need to listen to all of them before I die.
Leftfield
2/5
I flip-flopped on this one a few times, but mainly on whether to round up or down from a 2.5. Because while it didn’t offend me much at all, there’s nothing on here I think I could ever love (unless, perhaps, I was in a field full of people at a very specific time of night). Maybe the genre just isn’t quite for me, and that’s ok.
The John Lydon track is a belter though.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
The background is kind of interesting, with Marvin knowing half the royalties would go to his recently divorced wife. As a result, the subject matter is raw and personal, and the lyrics are particularly blunt and specific. It’s definitely the most most absorbing thing about this album.
Unfortunately the music doesn't do much for me, even in small doses, so a whole double album was, inevitably, a bit of a slog.
I did enjoy that the ‘instrumental’ version of When Did I Stop Loving You had vocals throughout the duration...
2 / 2.5
Michael Kiwanuka
3/5
2019! That can only mean... they've updated the book again since I started using the generator :O
I already reviewed this album on the Tunelighting podcast so I'll summarise here:
- Classic, soulful feel & weighty topics, so can see why it's popular. Seems 'objectively' very good, but I probably respect it more than I enjoy it.
- You Ain't The Problem and Hero are terrific. In fact, the more uptempo numbers in general are where this album shines.
- Much like Michael's beloved Tottenham Hotspur, the quality is mainly up front. I found the final few tracks a bit lacking.
3.5
The Youngbloods
2/5
Inoffensive, carefree jams with a few middling songs thrown in. Why did it make the cut? Was the list compiler in this band?
The Killers
5/5
This one's on a very short shortlist for *the* album that soundtracked my generation's high school years, and, while that probably influences my opinion of it, I reckon any generation could do a lot worse.
The four singles range in hugeness from *occasionally overlooked but everyone still knows all the words* (Smile Like You Mean It), to *automatic singalong at any event anywhere for the rest of time* (Mr Brightside).
Then there's the strength in depth: non-singles like Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine, On Top and Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll are cut from the same anthemic cloth as the hits, while I've always have a soft spot for icy-but-comforting tones of Everything Will Be Alright, too.
The Killers are distinguished survivors of the 00s indie scene Hunger Games, possibly through sheer force of will and stadium-sized ambition, but also because they just have more good tunes than most of their competition.
The Verve
3/5
The Verve before they were particularly bothered about songs.
To fully appreciate this sonic onslaught I feel like I need to play it loud through speakers, sit in a comfy armchair, and fall into a trance while the psychedelic sounds wash over me. But I don’t think I could sustain a trance for 64 minutes; I’d get all restless and fidgety.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
2/5
It’s pretty bluesy, I’ll give it that.
Cons:
- Very generic sounding - nothing standout about it
- Much of it is pretty samey
- Lacks the ‘authenticity’/soul of other blues albums, maybe?
- Lotta covers
Pros:
- It's quite fun - particularly the earthier, less electrified numbers
- Supposedly influential (I'll have to take that claim at face value)
- The Beano
- John Mayall was apparently born in Macclesfield. Represent.
Firmly in 2.5 star territory, then.
The Byrds
3/5
I loved Dylan's Mr Tambourine Man as a kid. Then I heard The Byrds' version and immediately felt they'd taken all the soul out of it. I think that sums up my two main issues with this album: one, an over-reliance on other people's songwriting (especially Bob Dylan) and two, their trademark sound of jangly guitars and vocal harmonies, while ostensibly 'pretty', actually leaves me pretty cold. It's not how I like my folk rock.
Enough of the bad points. Gene Clark's songs (especially I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better and It's No Use) are decent 60s pop bops, and this record pioneered a sound that, while not always my cup of tea, was massively influential to other bands, even decades later.
Fifth Dimension definitely has more going for it - there's an edge to some of those tracks - so I have to mark this album slightly lower than that one: 2.5 / 3 stars
The Notorious B.I.G.
3/5
I find it so hard to rate these 90s hip hop albums; a lot of them don't sound outstanding to me today but then I don't know what really 'changed the game' at the time.
The production is nothing special, and the lyrics cover all the classic rap tropes (but with 200% more sex, and a left-turn towards depression).
I think it must be Biggie himself that makes this stand out, if anything? His personality comes across more than most and his rhymes cut through & grabbed my attention pretty well.
2.5, or something.
But I had a dream last night (genuinely) that Biggie threatened to hurt me if I didn't round up. Better do what he says.
Janis Joplin
2/5
The vocal performance is undeniable, but I was expecting the music to be a bit rougher around the edges to match Janis's wild child reputation. Instead it's polished and glitzy; almost cabaret-esque in places, or 'female Rod Stewart' in others. Neither of which really does much for me.
2.5
The Zombies
5/5
Ah man this is great - perfect chamber pop. It's so lush and interestingly arranged without ever sounding like its trying to be too clever.
Some of the melodic changes are layered harmonies are properly euphoric, even when the lyrics are more melancholy. It feels a bit like what The Beach Boys were aiming for with Smile or Pet Sounds, while also being rather Beatles-eque. I have to conclude that The Zombies belong in such company, though. It's mad that they packed it in before this album was even released.
It gets a 4.5 on merit, and a nice bump up because it was such a pleasant surprise. And also because This Will Be Our Year was the first dance at my sister's wedding. Good vibes all round.
Cat Stevens
4/5
Well how about that. As fate would have it I gave Cat Stevens a proper listen for the first time just the other day. And y’know what? I’m a fan. Good, clean songs with good, clean, positive messages, earnestly performed.
Wild World and the title track will always remind me of Skins and Extras respectively, but that’s no bad thing.
4 / 4.5
The Damned
3/5
Not bad. In parts it's pretty standard 70s punk, but mostly they use a wider sonic palette which keeps things interesting. There are some fun vocal hooks too.
I also enjoy that the band members had wacky names like 'Captain Sensible', 'Rat Scabies' and 'Brian James'.
Prince
3/5
He had me with a couple of classic bangers early doors, some irresistible, sexy grooves and an array of forward-thinking, electrified sounds.
He lost me by dragging it all out for so long that the bangers dried up, the grooves became resistible (albeit still sexy), and the sounds became old hat by the time the song ended.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
Neil Hannon’s wry lyrics and orchestral take on pop add something a bit different to the 1001, so fair enough that The Divine Comedy comedy are represented, but at that same time I didn’t feel I was listening to a particularly remarkable album.
I enjoyed the first couple of tracks (and any time the music was a bit more sprightly or rousing) but on the whole I didn’t really connect with it.
2.5
The The
3/5
I think this confirms that I like The The. A welcome generator-aided artist discovery.
It's a melting pot of familiar styles but the result is quite unique. The guy clearly had grand ambitions, which can make it all sound a bit silly and pretentious at times, but I think he succeeded more often that not.
Like the the the album that came up previously I'm giving it a commendable 3.5 stars.
Tortoise
2/5
When this started I had rock bottom expectations, but some of it was actually rather lovely. There’s still a lingering feeling of ‘what makes this special?’, but to be fair, it was probably quite far ahead of its time. The influence on today’s many instrumental post-rock bands (most of whom I’d like, but would only ever listen to in small doses) is clear.
2.5.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
It has recently come to my attention that Pet Shop Boys' stockpile of bangers is larger than I gave them credit for. It's just as well, really, as when the tunes are weaker all we're left with is their distinctive brand of synth-pop, which I think is kinda naff, actually.
One more 'Go West' or 'Always on My Mind' sized banger would've tipped the balance towards 4 stars, but as it is: 3.5.
System Of A Down
3/5
Another baffling instance of the list compiler automatically selecting an act's debut while neglecting their best album. Why no Toxicity?
I still enjoyed discovering this one though. Nobody does it quite like SOAD; manic riffs, sudden tempo changes, Eastern European folk influences, political ire, Serj Tankian's distinctive operatic yelp, darkly epic anthems - they're all here. But they hadn't quite been perfected yet.
Kraftwerk
3/5
That's three Kraftwerk albums now, but I'm still mildly charmed by their gentle soundscapes. How strange it all must've sounded back then, eh?!
Is this road-based record better than their rail-based record? I'm not sure. But they both get you where you need to be.
Kelela
2/5
Some interesting bits of production here and there aside, this really didn't do it for me - far too R&B for my tastes.
Eagles
4/5
The title track is one of those that deserves its ubiquity. I've heard it a million times but never really get tired of it, and listening again today I realised that the guitar solo has to be up there with my favourite ever.
I'm not sure what to make of the rest. At times it's bland, and I still don't understand how this band got so huge, but I'm starting to realise that they did excel at some things (vocal harmonies and wistfulness, mainly). Also, the lyrical themes and some of the grander arrangements give this album an ambitious, stately feel that I quite like (the 'state' in question being California, I suppose...)
3.5
T. Rex
4/5
Part of what I like about T.Rex is it's all so economical - there are no wasted notes or superfluous parts. On paper these songs should be bog-standard, basic rock 'n' roll tunes, but between Marc Bolan's breezy vocals, the punchy production, some simple but impactful chord changes and some well deployed strings and horns, they're transformed into something a bit magical. Effortless cool and swagger.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I’ve been relying on the generator to provide me with a proper, overdue Springsteen education, so here we go…
Badlands is a good example of The Boss doing that rousing, anthemic thing he does best, and the second half of the album when the music gets more immediate and soulful actually works really well too, especially on The Promised Land and Streets of Fire.
I find a couple of tracks a bit tedious, and struggled to make out some of the lyrics in Bruce’s drawl. But overall, a very decent start to my Springsteen album odyssey.
Van Halen
3/5
The two Val Halen tracks I already knew (Jump & Hot For Teacher) are on here, and they’re both good fun. The rest is a mixed bag; I found a lot of it quite forgettable, but at just 33 minutes I can't say I ever got bored.
TV On The Radio
4/5
Good band. I’d class myself as a fan, despite not having delved too deeply into their back catalogue (my bad) or seen them live (their bad, for cancelling the show I had a ticket for years ago).
I’ve dished out some decent scores to stuff I’ve enjoyed less than this, based partly on perceived historical importance. I think it’s harder for albums from this century (even very good ones) to make a real splash, so to warrant their place on the list they have to bring the tunes. Luckily, this one does. The manic, funky tracks, intense rockers and softer, prettier numbers all hit as far I’m concerned. Crying, Love Dog and DLZ (ofc) were my standouts.
3.5 / 4
Gang Starr
3/5
The generator's thrown up lots of 90s hip-hop and it's all blurring into one, so I had low hopes when this popped up. But these hopes were surpassed!
Yeah, stylistically I can't really distinguish it from a few other artists we've had, but somehow this found a bit of a sweet spot with fun, laid back beats and words that a) I can hear clearly, and b) I want to listen to.
A line in Take A Rest sums it up for me: "Arranged by a great brain, delivering rhymes clear and concise with a nice dope voice". Word.
3.5
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
This reminded me of my issues with the last S&TFS album we had: basically, the rambling funk instrumentals just bored me. At least on 'Stand!' these were mostly offset with some great songs; the songs on here are a step down, for me.
I've read the wiki entry to try and discover what it is the critics heard in this album that I don't, and concluded that either the societal context at the time was *very* important to appreciating it, or they all gave a rather generous interpretation of drugged-up, meandering songwriting.
U2
5/5
I like the guitar effects on this album a lot - really interesting, out-there stuff, especially on The Fly (which is among my favourite U2 tracks, as is One). The sound of this album appeals to me slightly more than the traditional Joshua Tree style, and I respect the reinvention between the two.
Like The Joshua Tree, there is a drop in quality beyond the singles, but, like The Joshua Tree, the other tracks did grow on me nicely after a while.
4.5 stars. It probably doesn’t deserve it, but I’m gonna round up. I think it’s because I listened to a lot of these tracks when I was about 13 and still feel an affinity today.
The Mothers Of Invention
3/5
This is certainly a different side of Zappa to Hot Rats. For what essentially seems like one long piss-take it's impressively well-realised, musically, and meshes together nicely as one piece of work. It's also genuinely funny at times and generally entertaining, though I'm unlikely to return to it much - I suspect the jokes and random interludes would lose their lustre after repeated listens.
The Stooges
3/5
It seems The Stooges steadily improved with each album - this one is in solid 3 / 3.5 territory. Arguably Fun House actually had more 'raw power', but maybe this album has more 'fun'? In the sense that tighter song structures and a greater variation in tempo and dynamics are more fun to listen to, right?
I maintain that Iggy's solo career (including his very decent recent albums) has the better material, but accept that for pure, feral energy and influence on music history The Stooges had something about them.
Astor Piazzolla
2/5
A bandoneon and vibraphone supergroup - AT LAST! To be fair, the collaboration was probably inevitable, because after all… it takes two to tango.
There were some good vibes here and there but the band did go on and on a bit.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Ah, sweet lockdown memories...
No surprise the critics were so unanimous in their praise - this is a great album.
Distinctive and innovative music (I enjoy the prevalence of homemade percussion) but not at the expense of good tunes. Also, lyrics that don't hold back and deal with weighty topics, but not at the expense of humour or relatability.
4.5
Beck
4/5
Beck is a consistently four-star artist in my book, though in the context of the 1001 albums book Guero is more of a 3.5. It’s less groundbreaking than some of his other releases and not particularly focused - it’s a bit all over the place stylistically. E-Pro and Girl aside, I wouldn’t say it’s essential listening. Probably a bit lucky to make the cut, to be honest.
But did I enjoy the grooves? Would I happily listen to it all again? Am I rounding up? Hell Yes.
Eels
4/5
I only discovered Eels a few years ago. There were some songs I really liked and the quirky lyrics grabbed my attention but for whatever reason I always felt a whole album might be a bit much for me.
Well I'm happy to report this album wasn't too much for me; it drew me into its eely world and kept my interest throughout. The grungey guitar bits were a surprise, and really add an extra edge to what was already quite an inviting, pretty mix of sounds.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
Parallel Universe - Scar Tissue - Otherside is one of the great 1-2-3 combos. It could’ve been one of the great 1-2-3-4 combos but they had to stick the very mediocre Get on Top in before Californication. Their penchant for punctuating the good stuff with throwaway funk filler is what stops this album (and a lot of the Chilis’ catalogue) being truly first-rate. By The Way is probably the RHCP that avoids this most successfully, hence it’s their real masterpiece.
Still, for all their faults, these guys do subtle melancholia and gorgeous Californian harmonies as well as anyone, and are capable of some genuinely interesting left-turns too (like the bridge in Saviour). Every band member brings a distinctive style to the table and the chemistry between them is excellent.
They get it right enough times on Californication to warrant a 4.5, and (as is customary) my nostalgic connection to the band means I have to round up.
The Doors
3/5
The Doors continue to exceed my expectations, at least a little. I’d say I have both more respect and more affection for them as a result of this process.
The more bluesy numbers could be any band really, but when they lean into that ‘Doorsy’ sound (by which I guess I mean jaunty rhythms, emphatic chord changes and organ, lots of organ) they definitely stand out from the pack.
3.5 stars.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
This is miles outside my wheelhouse and realistically I'm unlikely to come back to it, except possibly as background music. BUT I thought it was good. Aside from the obvious musical ability required not only to play this stuff, but to improvise it in front of a live audience, I was impressed by the way he seemed to switch between several different styles - only a couple of which sounded like 'jazz' as I know it.
I find solo piano can be quite meditative when it's slow and sparse, but the rhythmic, repetitive nature of some of the other sections was equally hypnotic in its way.
Also, bits of it reminded me of the Breath of the Wild soundtrack. So that's good.
Fiona Apple
2/5
I really like FTBC and most of what I've heard of Fiona's later work. I was disappointed by this though; there's still some good songwriting but a lot of the music is pretty uninspiring. Too lounge-y for me.
2.5
The Cars
3/5
Just What I Needed is pretty much a perfect track - slick, tight, guitars and drums and synths in perfect unison. Catchy but with a dangerous edge to it.
The rest of the album is mostly in the same vein, but not quite as good. The other supposedly 'iconic' singles are new to me and didn't impress me as much as I'd hoped. Maybe hearing them over and over on the radio helps develop a fondness for them? It's still a fun listen though.
3.5
Funkadelic
3/5
Mmmm maggoty
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
This kind of melodic scuzz should be up my street but I didn’t warm to it at first; it sounded a bit samey and a bit wishy-washy. But on further listening I can confirm it provides a nice, breezy soundtrack to a sunny day’s walk.
Roxy Music
4/5
I’ve never quite known what to make of Roxy Music and after finally listening to one of their albums I still don’t. I’m usually all for bands with a bit of experimental flair, but some of Roxy’s musical voyages seem to be to places I’m not particularly fussed about visiting myself, if that makes sense.
On my first listen through I did enjoy a lot of the tracks but couldn’t remember much about them afterwards...
I’m on my fourth listen now and it’s finally starting to make sense. Most of these songs are bangers - it’s only really Bitter Sweet that doesn’t quite work for me.
The Black Keys
4/5
This is the album that introduced me to The Black Keys and it's probably their best (that I've heard, anyway). Authentic sounding blues rock with soulful tendencies.
The first four tracks are excellent, and the more chilled final three are nice too. The middle of the album is inconsistent, and there are times when I wonder if it's all a bit... average? But nah, overall this record is solid - not
outstanding, but with some stand-out moments. Much like The Black Keys in general.
3.5
Queen Latifah
3/5
First track: this sounds very much like the big alternative hip-hop acts of the time...
Second track: oh look it's De La Soul! Makes perfect sense.
I didn't realise Queen Latifah made music like this, and that it was a match for anything her male peers did. Very fun and funky to begin with, though after half an hour I started to lose interest. I don't think that's all on me either - the beats towards the end of the album definitely seem to become a little slower, sparser and less inventive.
Jethro Tull
3/5
With it’s folky-rocky-flutey combo this is quite a peculiar record, but I enjoyed the ride. It’s definitely prog but never felt like a slog - just a surprisingly fun listen.
To those critics who apparently thought this album was too ‘serious’, I’d like to 'take you to the cinema and leave you in a Wimpy bar’. And then play you a funky flute solo.
3.5
Rage Against The Machine
5/5
The most appropriately named band in the history of bands?
I’ll admit when I first heard KITN on the radio I didn’t quite get it; something about that earnest now-you-do-what-they-told-ya mantra seemed a bit on the nose and kind of amused me. Maybe I just wasn’t used to artists spitting truths with absolute, irony-free conviction. Thankfully I soon realised that I was wrong, and their righteous political anger is indeed a gift.
Also, as much as I enjoy Tom Morello’s inventive soloing, what I *really* like is all the riffage. There are more great riffs on Know Your Enemy alone than some bands manage in a career.
The Hives
2/5
Look, The Hives are a fun band and HTSITYS is an early 00s classic (and the first song our high school band ever played live), but I was surprised to see them on the list. This is an alright album - a good shot of adrenaline, even if the songs are largely dispensable - but the fact it's a compilation makes its inclusion all the more baffling. Gotta mark it down for that.
Beastie Boys
3/5
I preferred this to Ill Communication; the sense of playfulness I thought was lacking in that album is more evident here. Arguably too evident actually... those vocals do start to grate after a while.
The intricate patchwork of samples is cool, and this was clearly a landmark release as a result, but there's nothing on it that I really loved.
Van Morrison
3/5
At times: wow, what lovely, rich, mystical sounds to daydream along to!
At other times: wow, is this song *still* rambling on…?
Overall I probably feel similar about this album to how I feel about Moondance. Which is to say, I enjoyed it in parts but can’t quite understand its legendary reputation.
Bobby Womack
2/5
I’m familiar with Bobby’s charismatic voice mainly through his work with Gorillaz, though I wonder if this is an instance where the performer might be legendary but their discography isn’t?
I actually enjoyed tracks 1, 4 and 7 (the clear standout), but really wasn’t a fan of the rest. It just left me cold.
Brian Eno
4/5
I expected Eno’s production fingerprints would be all over the 1001 albums list but I didn’t expect so many of his solo records to be here (two so far, and it seems like more to come). They’re holding their own though - I like his spirit of creativity and the interesting sounds that usually result. He wasn’t so much ahead of his time as in a parallel timeline; some of this stuff still sounds pretty unique 50 years on.
I don’t love every track but some of them are right up my street. Just the right amount of weird, yet with seductive melodies too.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
It's easy to see why this is so popular. A good voice; that classic soul sound that people seem to like; honest, personal lyrics backed up by hard-won (and ultimately tragic) experience. Back to Black, You Know I'm No Good, Tears Dry On Their Own, Rehab - they're all great songs.
Personally it’s not completely ‘my jam’ and some of the album tracks seem a bit weak. But I do think it’s an important and impressive record, especially lyrically, so I’ll give it 3.5 stars, rounded up.
Donald Fagen
2/5
Another Steely Dan-adjacent album, and it's too close to that sterile, jazzier end of their output (like Aja), for my liking.
There is something endearing about this one though: lyrically it's a rose-tinted look back at an innocent childhood, and maybe that's what lends a kind of carefree swing to proceedings. It's pleasant enough background music.
2.5
The Fall
3/5
Another Fall album (after The Infotainment Scan) that was a bit more interesting and enjoyable (and synthy) than I expected. Enough musical and lyrical quirks to keep me engaged for most of the runtime, but not quite enough that I can see myself returning to it.
2.5 / 3
The Flying Burrito Brothers
2/5
Great band name, not great music.
It's a bit too slick and modern to retain the charm of old timey country, but doesn't have the attitude or invention of good rock music. Just a bit ordinary.
Alice In Chains
4/5
This is good stuff. Real thick, sludgey grunge that reminded me of Soundgarden’s Superunknown at times, albeit not as consistently strong. Also like NIN’s Downward Spiral, in that it feels like you’re getting an authentic weather report from Personal Hell. The weather in Personal Hell, it seems, is usually dark and stormy. Not somewhere you’d ever want to visit, but still strangely fascinating to view from afar.
It occasionally felt like a bit of a slog to get through, but then I suppose wading through such thick sludge is always going to take time and effort.
3.5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
Think I’ve been a bit harsh on CCR in the past; they’ve got their share of tunes and I’d like to upgrade their status accordingly from ‘meh’ to ‘good singles band’.
But as an albums band? I’m still not sure. Take away Proud Mary and maybe Born on the Bayou and what are you left with, really? Too much chooglin’, that’s what.
John Fogerty’s voice carries the weaker tracks, but only so far: 2.5 stars.
Steve Winwood
2/5
The production is slick, even if it sounds dated now.
I liked the optimistic energy of the opening track and when the synths were deployed to create spacey soundscapes, like on Spanish Dancer, but many of the tracks didn’t really move me in any way.
2.5
Slade
3/5
My first taste of Slade besides Merry Xmas Everybody and Cum on Feel the Noize. I didn’t realise their penchant for misspelling spread throughout their entire catalogue - mildly irritating.
After the first couple of tracks I dismissed them as one trick ponies, but I soon discovered they had *two* tricks; I much preferred the slower, brooding stompers to the Quo-esque rock’n’rollers.
Not inspired, but they would’ve be fun band to see live in a rowdy bar, I imagine.
Talking Heads
4/5
I’ve heard this one before and was indifferent, but revisiting it has revealed new treasures. It’s similar to my experience with Fear of Music: initially underwhelming but growing on me with every play.
Again it’s David Byrne’s lyrics that grabbed me first, with the music taking a couple more listens to catch up. Side one still isn’t completely clicking for me yet, but side two is very strong indeed (having a song like Psycho Killer in your ranks doesn’t hurt).
3.5 and rising.
The Cure
5/5
Most of my favourite Cure tracks are not on Disintegration (though Plainsong and Lullaby are definitely up there). Somehow, though, the individual tracks almost don’t matter. It’s a 70-minute long mood piece exploring that space between dark, intense emotion and big, glassy emptiness.
Honestly, such long songs with such little structural variation shouldn’t hold the attention nearly as well as they do (and I’ll deduct half a star because inevitably there are times when the spell does break and I just want them to get on with it), but for the most part they keep me entranced. Maybe because the guitar and synth textures are always on point?
I dunno, it just *feels* like The Cure achieved exactly what they set out to with this album.
Green Day
5/5
The nostalgia is strong with this one. Basket Case and When I Come Around in particular take me back to pre-teen days at my friend’s house, before I even knew who Green Day were, discovering a new type of music that was edgy enough to excite a young boy, but with an accessible sense of melody. A kind of ‘pop-punk’, if you will…
This is one of those albums where the 5 singles are so strong it seems a shame not to give the whole thing 5 stars, even when there are few tracks that I find pretty average.
4.5
Simply Red
2/5
I don’t usually like to slag off bands that it’s fashionable to hate, although I’m tempted to make an exception for Simply Red. There’s something about Mick Hucknall that rankles, sure, but mainly I think it’s that they deal in some of my least favourite types of music (syrupy soul, bland funk, background schmaltz, et cetera).
HOWEVER, I’m a fair man, and on second listen I don’t think it’s a one star record. The first and last tracks were alright and a couple of other tracks at least have some energy about them. When it’s bad it’s really bad, though.
1.5 / 2
David Bowie
3/5
I see this adheres to Low’s ‘bangers up front, weird instrumentals at the end’ approach, but I think Low probably did both facets more successfully, and first.
I still enjoyed it, but it’s not one of Bowie’s best. It feels like it’s made the list on the strength of the title track alone.
Stan Getz
2/5
The musicians show impressive restraint, but to be honest most of the Latin music I’ve fallen for on this list has a bit more vim and vigour to it. I was charmed at first but it quickly became indistinguishable from any old smooth background jazz.
This would probably be the perfect soundtrack to a romantic candlelit dinner on a balmy evening in a South American restaurant. Unfortunately that’s not a situation I find myself in very often.
OutKast
5/5
This really blew my 13/14 year old mind, and probably remains my favourite hip-hop album(s) to this day.
I listened to The Love Below in particular on repeat on my CD Walkman, and it kept me company during some dark times. Andre 3000 lead me on a funky, sexy musical odyssey that could also be supremely pretty (those strings at the end of Pink & Blue…) or kind of cold and eerie (most of the second half of the disc). He always sounded effortlessly cool, no matter how goofy the rhymes or how strange the music.
I neglected Speakerboxxx a bit at the time, which is both a shame and quite baffling, as it’s a 5 star album in its own right. It’s closer to a typical hip-hop sound, but in its way it’s just as packed with fun ideas as TLB, and pound for pound arguably contains more bangers.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
3/5
Not as good at the Beck thing as Beck is, and a decade late to the Beastie Boys party - though to be fair this album often goes in a more chilled, jazzy direction than either of those (with mixed results). It drags a bit in the middle but overall I enjoy the vibe.
More importantly, I think I can finally tell my Fun Loving’ Criminals from my Super Furry Animals.
TLC
2/5
As someone who quite likes No Scrubs and Waterfalls I thought I’d always have time for a bit of TLC, but it turns out I don’t have this much time. Only small doses of sexy 90s R&B for me please, or I get booooorrrreeeed.
Run-D.M.C.
2/5
It's kind of mad that this was considered a big leap forward for hip-hop, because it sounds every bit as dated Grandmaster Flash's debut. Neither the rapping style nor the production have aged well at all (except maybe Rock Box).
I don't want to downplay its historical importance or some of the worthy lyrical messages but it's hard to hear this now and not just think 'how quaint!'
2.5
David Bowie
4/5
Y’know, there isn’t a bad song on here. It’s probably more consistently good than Heroes, which came up last week (must be the power of that white square).
The problem is there isn’t anything truly great on it either. I think it got rushed into the 1001 albums book to represent Bowie’s late era comeback, and the surprise/gratitude that people felt towards that. But then Blackstar came out 3 years later and became an even more significant release on the Bowie timeline, as well as being a better album, and it kind of rendered the The Next Day's inclusion on this list superfluous.
Still, it's a strong 3.5 from me.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I’ve seen this ranked as the Stones’ best album, but again I came away expecting more.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s a decent listen (as far as highlights go: Moonlight Mile is great and the guitar riff on Brown Sugar is undeniable). It’s just that at no point during it did I think ‘wow, these guys are/were the best band in the world’, or even ‘nobody sounds like The Rolling Stones’. Because lots of bands do, no?
3 / 3.5
Cocteau Twins
4/5
A really cohesive album with it's own sound.
I wouldn't say it's right up my street but it's only a couple of blocks away at most - I do like me a bit of dream pop. There are several moments when those big slabs of atmospheric guitars and vocals swirl around each other and it's rather blissful. I especially love when the vocals take on a rhythmic, almost monotonous quality (on tracks 2, 6 and 10, for instance); a lovely counterbalance to the weightless nature of the music.
Really nice discovery, this one.
Beatles
5/5
This was my introduction to Beatles albums, as it was the only one my parents had on CD. She’s So Heavy used to scare me. So did Maxwell’s Silver Hammer (it wasn’t so much the murder, as the impotence of the justice system - terrifying).
Anyway, I could spend ages reviewing this but it speaks for itself so I won’t. Other than to say I don’t know what the greatest album ever is, but if someone told me it was Abbey Road, I wouldn’t argue.
Ash
3/5
I always forget which one Goldfinger is, then I hear it and realise it's my favourite Ash song (either that or Shining Light, anyway).
This is an album made by teenagers, for teenagers, about being a teenager, which means that when it's good it buzzes with raw, youthful energy. But the songwriting is pretty inconsistent & lacks a bit of focus.
I didn't actually listen to a full Ash album when I was a teenager so I can be fairly objective - no nostalgia boost from me.
N.W.A.
2/5
BEATS: I think the production is a bit shit, really. I guess for the title track it works as it’s abrasive yet sparse, meaning the lyrics have more impact, but in general it’s just dead samey and dull, and becomes a slog to listen to after a few tracks. The exceptions are Express Yourself and I Ain’t Tha 1, which are more playful and interesting.
RAPPING: A bit of shock value is fine, offending the establishment is usually no bad thing and moving music/culture on to a point where more things can be said more freely is progress, I’d say. However, ’gangster rap’ in and of itself can be pretty tedious, (the fact that it became the norm rather than a novelty after N.W.A. isn’t a legacy particularly worth celebrating, in my opinion), but again, there is a lighter, playful side to the group which comes out just enough to offer some welcome relief from the straight-faced bragging about shooting folks.
Oh, and Ice Cube is a cut above the rest of them. Nearly always the most engaging to listen to.
2.5 stars. I nearly rounded up to a 3 for influence, but such an indifferent score would actually be *more* insulting to a gang of hellraisers like N.W.A, right?
Slipknot
3/5
Slipknot are in that bracket of metal/emo bands I actually appreciate more now than when I was a teenager (‘shouty men in silly masks’ was my initial verdict). When they combine meaty riffs with catchy, non-screamy vocals (like Psychosocial, which always went down well at uni rock club nights), I can get on board. That said, I think tracks like Gematria will always be too thrashy for me to enjoy.
*That* said, it doesn’t seem like this is considered the best Slipknot album, and people who really like the band tend to prefer the earlier, less poppy stuff. So the inclusion of this album on the list seems like a bit of an awkward compromise. Much like my on-the-fence 3-star rating.
Travis
4/5
I have a soft spot for Travis. I consider them a guilty pleasure because they were part of that soft rock/singer-songwriter scene that was omnipresent at the turn of the century, and consequently received a lot of backlash for being a bit... bland.
But there's definitely a place for a band that writes such consistently pretty and/or anthemic songs. I saw them a few years back and Driftwood still got everyone singing along as loud as any end-of-the-night staple.
Hidden track Blue Flashing Light shows they've also got a more than decent rockier side to them that for some reason they mostly chose to suppress at this point in their career (their album 12 Memories, incidentally, is darker and legitimately excellent; I will defend that one without guilt).
Muddy Waters
3/5
I preferred Hard Again, mainly because the music was a bit… harder? A lot of this is quite laid back, albeit still enjoyable because it’s real authentic blues innit, and that’s always evocative. My highlights are the occasions when they do kick the energy up a notch and have a rollicking good time, like on ‘I’ve Got My Mojo Working’.
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
Really enjoyed tracks 1-4, but lost a bit of enthusiasm for 5-9. Track 10 I think is probably still great, despite having heard it a million times.
3.5
Love
3/5
It's not as good as Forever Changes, but I guess we have to take Love in whatever form it comes.
Side one is a nice eclectic journey through the subgenres of 60s rock, doing most of them pretty well.
Funny that Revelation was unanimously panned by the band members. I mean, I also care very little for 18 minute jam sessions, but loads of people seem to lap that kinda shit up.
AC/DC
5/5
When this came up I thought: ‘Solid 4 stars because the singles are great fun, but it could never be a 5 as it’s still just big, stupid, sexist, primitive, samey dinosaur rock at the end of the day.’
And yet, here we are…
Moby Grape
4/5
Made the fateful decision to give this a third spin, despite being sure after the first two that it was nothing special and that there are plenty of better 60s guitar albums on the list.
I mean, there are, but I concede that this one deserves its place too. I actually really like it now - these guys knew their way around a well-crafted tune.
3.5 - and rounding up as a 'happy to be proven wrong' bonus!
Michael Jackson
4/5
Assessing the success of MJ’s aim to make an album of ‘all killer’:
Billie Jean is a stone cold classic, no arguments here. I think the second best track might be Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’, which is pretty great too (‘You’re a vegetable!’)
Beat It is good, if a little cheesy. Same with Thriller (but slightly less good & slightly more cheesy). Both are obviously iconic.
Human Nature is decent as sentimental ballads go, and if I’m being generous P.Y.T. can join the ‘killer’ club too.
That still leaves a third of the album that is ok, I guess, but certainly not killer.
Nevertheless, a decent ratio: 4 stars. Maybe even 4.5.
Pavement
3/5
Pavement still aren’t completely clicking for me, as much as they seem to tick a lot of the right boxes. That said, I got more out of this than Crooked Rain x2. In The Mouth A Desert really hit the spot, and so did a couple of others.
I would listen to this one again. It’s decent enough after two plays through but I reckon it has more to reveal.
3 / 3.5
Slipknot
3/5
Huh, I liked this a lot more than I thought I would. I assumed the poppier bits of later Slipknot were all that was keeping me kinda interested, but there’s plenty to enjoy here.
There are still occasional chorus hooks, mixed with riffs which are fierce and concise. The first half of the album rattled along at a satisfying pace.
Also, the weird guitar sounds/samples throughout really set this apart from a lot of metal, and add to the horror aesthetic.
I can see why metal fans and/or angsty teens might rate this highly.
Black Sabbath
2/5
I don’t mind a bit of Sabbath and respect their status as rock/metal pioneers, but I’m not sure what this particular album is offering to the list.
Don't get me wrong, there are moments where I dig it, but... there aren’t really any standout tunes, it's not cohesive, it doesn't feel groundbreaking like their earlier work, some of the playing is sloppy and the sound quality generally seems a bit muddy. Too much cocaine?
ZZ Top
2/5
Zed Zed Top have their charms (aesthetically, and occasionally musically), but I’ve heard two of their albums now and they haven’t won me over. Eliminator has more to recommend it, but this one is just pretty average blues rock.
Pixies
5/5
On which Pixies perfected their sound, and made one of the best alternative rock/indie albums in the process. There are probably half a dozen genres on here, but they all sound unmistakably, coherently like Pixies songs.
It must be in Black Francis’ crazed yelps, Kim Deal’s sing-song backing vocals, the sharp shifts in tempo and volume, the vivid yet impenetrable lyrics, the intertwining of noise and melody, the three/three and a half bar chord sequences, the sense of mischief running through the whole thing… Despite their influence, I can’t think of another band who really sounds like them, which is quite the compliment.
15 tracks and not a stinker among ‘em. And even if there was, it’d be too short to bother skipping.
Dinosaur Jr.
3/5
Like the last Dinosaur Jr. album the list threw up, I find the overall style/sound agreeable, but it doesn't seem particularly memorable. If it came out 10 years later it certainly wouldn't warrant inclusion on the list, but was it remarkable in 1988? I don't know, though given it's not dissimilar to their 1987 album, probably not.
Still, it's a decent album with a nice drawing of a bug on the front. I'll live and let live.
The Shamen
1/5
Over an hour of tacky synths, generic, repetitive beats, and tuneless, pseudo-spiritual vocals? It shouldn’t work. And it doesn’t.
Yeah, I grooved along at points, but that’s on me. The music is undeniably naff.
1.5 stars
Talk Talk
3/5
I like the way Talk Talk went about things, and I think Mark Hollis’s voice is great. When it clicks (i.e. Give It Up; Life’s what You Make It; when those those flutes/recorders come in towards the end of Time It’s Time) it’s higher-plane sorta stuff. I want to like the rest just as much, but I can’t get into it. Maybe that would change with more listens, but at the moment I’m finding the weaker tracks quite hard work.
3.5
Morrissey
3/5
A pretty solid, consistent set of Morrissey songs. None of them really sound like classics though, and (maybe as a result), neither does the album.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
So this is Captain Beefheart… it’s decent, I think? Not sure why he has such a cult following, but I can see the appeal of his slightly manic, unpredictable energy, especially when combined with accessible tunes. I mean, to my 21st century ears it sounds gently eccentric rather than wildly inventive, but it’s probably fair to assume that some of the weirder tracks would’ve been a bit ‘out there’ in 1967.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
First things first, I prefer Leonard's voice later in his career. His reedy voice and the sparse, lo-fi production here should be a real turn off, but there's something that draws me to it regardless.
Maybe it's the haunting melancholy that permeates the minor key tunes? Maybe it's the fuzzy, old-man-on-his-porch-reminiscing-about-the-good-old-days-over-a-Scotch melancholy that permeates the major key tunes? Maybe it's the promise that Cohen's lyrics must surely contain nuggets of wisdom, even though I haven't paid them full attention yet? Maybe it's the Jew's harp that buzzes happily away, seemingly out of place, on nearly every song?
Well whatever it is, I'm dangerously close to being charmed by Leonard Cohen again.
Willie Nelson
2/5
Not sure about this one, Willie. The smooth production takes it closer to crooner territory than country, and that’s less appealing to me.
It is admittedly nice and easy on the ears, but I do have to enforce the obligatory points cap for covers albums.
Black Flag
2/5
Not really feeling this. TV Party is a fun standout, but that kind of slacker humour seems at odds with the music and also with a lot of the other, angrier lyrics.
Maybe hardcore punk in general isn't for me? If I'm gonna listen to something loud, distorted and unmelodic then I want it to be heavier, tighter and riff-ier than this.
Elvis Presley
3/5
I’m gonna go easier on ol’ ‘cover versions Presley’ this time, as I think these songs showcase a bit more of what made him such a great performer. There are hints of the grander, more soulful arrangements of late-era Elvis where his voice really soars, as well as a bit of his early rock ’n’ roll swagger on tracks like Power of My Love.
There are also a couple of his all-time classics on here (if we include Suspicious Minds on the album, which we probably shouldn’t…)
3.5
Tim Buckley
2/5
Well this sounds quite different from ‘Hello and Goodbye’.
On one hand I admire the conviction of his reinvention as a purveyor of funky 70s jams. On the other, I didn’t think the music was much good. There’s a lot of meandering and it’s quite generic sounding, with little of the quirkiness that his older style had.
Bob Dylan
3/5
This grew on me - I wasn’t too impressed at first. The bluesy numbers are pretty standard fare but they suit Bob’s older, more gravelly voice well and there’s a certain charm to them.
It’s the ballads where he does his best work, though. Songs like Not Dark Yet and Standing in the Doorway really hit the spot.
Still, there’s definitely some filler and the whole thing does drag on a bit...
2.5 / 3
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Plus points are a great voice, original songs and, I think, a largely successful attempt to update the traditional country formula with production that adds a modern sheen (often hitting a sweet spot between epic and chilled).
My main complaint is that it goes on too long and, although there are subtle attempts to vary the tempo, it became quite samey for me. I suppose my other complaint is the suspicion that this is not an 'essential' album in terms of either content or context.
All considered: 2.5 / 3 stars
Duke Ellington
3/5
I quite enjoyed the lively sections of this - classic big band vibes. As ever with jazz I can’t reaaaally tell one virtuoso performance from the next so I have to look at the context a bit...
Ok, so while it we’re quite late in Duke’s career by this point, it seems the Newport concert was so rapturously received that it regained him a record contract, and resurgent popularity for the rest of his life. What a nice story! It’s well worth 3 nice stars.
Gil Scott-Heron
2/5
Well it seems to be a work of some artistic integrity, but I just found most of it desperately dull to listen to.
It got better in the second half; The Bottle was a welcome injection of jazz flute infused energy, and H2O Gate Blues was pretty great too - the one track where GSH's topical poetry really comes to the fore. Between them they did more than enough to earn the album a second star.
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Peter Gabriel is someone I’m well-disposed towards without knowing that much of his stuff. He seems to have decent music taste and experimental-but-not-too-proggy tendencies, and this album displays those quite well.
That said, I might've considered a lower score were it not for the joyous Solsbury Hill, which never fails to raise a smile.
The Lemonheads
2/5
I’m more than happy to listen to this kind of music, but as 90s alt-rock goes this album seems kinda middling.
There aren’t any real standout tunes, and I’m also a bit young to have any nostalgic connection to the band. So in the cold light of restrospective, generator-mandated judgement, I give it 2.5 stars.
Beth Orton
2/5
Inoffensive music is fine sometimes - I don’t always need to be offended. There’s a fine line between inoffensive and boring though, and I feel like this album treads that line.
There were moments here and there that I appreciated but the album peaked at track 1 for me and then dropped off.
Elliott Smith
5/5
Elliott Smith had intangible qualities that make him stand out from other men with acoustic guitars. I dunno, there’s just something in those chords changes and double-tracked vocals that’s equal parts haunting and comforting. It’s lyrically vulnerable and musically delicate, usually, but that just makes the louder parts more impactful (see: Cupid’s Trick).
I knew a few of the tracks on here but the more I listen to the rest, the more I like ‘em all.
4.5
Stephen Stills
2/5
Primal Scream were clearly inspired by some of the gospel-tinged tracks on here, but I was less inspired.
It’s technically competent and perfectly listenable - I never wanted to turn it off, but I also never thought ‘yeah, I’ll definitely listen to this track again’.
A possibly-slightly-harsh 2.5 stars.
Tom Waits
3/5
I prefer the sound of this album to Heartattack And Vine. It’s more rustic, raw, feral, in a way that really suits Waits’ voice. Especially the drums that sound like bones. The songs aren’t always as good as the general atmosphere is, but there are some corkers on there, and the second half of the record is pretty consistent (kudos to his wife, who appears to have co-written most of the second side, as well as the excellent ‘Dirt In The Ground’).
3.5
Ride
3/5
Sometimes this falls into the classic shoegaze trap of not actually sounding particularly heavy, or dreamy, or psychedelic (or whatever else shoegaze is supposed to sound like) - all the parts just combine into a watery sludge instead. The wishy-washy Ian Brown style vocals don’t help with that.
It does hit the mark at other times though, when there’s a more well-defined tune to latch onto. I can understand the appeal.
Tom Tom Club
3/5
I didn't know there was Talking Heads spinoff band! And it sounds even more prescient of 2000s indie-pop than TH, what with its heavily electronic inclinations.
Fun music and amusing vocals/lyrics? Tick.
Repetitive and irritating? Eh, almost. But it stayed on the right side of those things for me. I'd rather focus on the energy and creativity on show.
Dead Kennedys
4/5
With the yelpy vocals, political lyrics and manic, twisted riffs this sounds remarkably like a System of a Down prototype in places, and that’s no bad thing.
I find early punk pretty hit and miss, but this album is definitely one of the more interesting and fun examples of the genre I’ve come across.
3.5 stars, and a nice lil bump up for pleasantly surprising me.
FKA twigs
3/5
Decent future-facing R&B.
Interesting production that creates a specific mood (there are some tracks on here, and on her Magdalene album, that genuinely creep me out a bit, which I *think* is a good thing?)
Usually at its best at the end of tracks when the different layers combine into a heady cocktail of bleepy bloops vocal counter-melodies.
A couple of duds though.
3.5
The Teardrop Explodes
3/5
Wasn’t sure how I felt about this at first. This band sounds kinda like a lot of other early 80s groups, and I’ve grown a bit weary of those.
But at the same time, they don’t sound like any one other band in particular, and I couldn’t tell you if they fit into post-punk, new wave, indie, pop, or all the above. I quite like the ‘bounciness’ in their songs.
Anyway, when Reward (which I’ve definitely heard somewhere before) came on, I finally decided that these guys are alright!
Dr. John
4/5
Ooh, swampy voodoo vibes. I like! A bit different to the Dr John I heard on Later with Jools, and also a bit different to anything the generator has churned out so far. Spooky, yet groovy.
The Adverts
3/5
It would be very easy for me to give this a 2, because I’ve given a lot of 3s lately, because I’m tired of punk/punk-ish albums on this list, and because I’ve never even heard of this band, so it can’t be a historically important record, right?
I do think it's one of the better old-school punk albums I've come across though. There are strong melodies and engaging vocals, on a handful of tracks at least. It does get a bit 'meh' in the second half though.
2.5 / 3
Joan Armatrading
4/5
JA is another of those ‘Jools Holland legends’ that I’ve probably seen wheeled out at a Hootenanny or two, and subsequently have a base level of respect for, but ultimately never felt inclined to seek out the music she made during her prime.
So I’m glad that not only did I hear this, but that I gave it a second and third listen too as it really grew on me in that time. Some of the funkier tracks aren’t fully to my taste but the songwriting is good, the vocals are good, and it’s just a pretty strong, enjoyable collection of songs all in all.
3.5 / 4
Beastie Boys
4/5
The generator experience hasn’t exactly turned me into a Beastie Boys mega-fan - I’ve been a bit underwhelmed with the albums I’ve sampled so far. Turns out though that it’s their earlier, cruder, guitar-heavy work that still appeals to me the most.
This is good, silly, fun, especially the run of tracks in the middle (I didn’t realise that Lizzo’s track ‘Girls’ was built on a Beastie Boys sample). I also suspect that behind the juvenile facade it’s quite sophisticated in the way it’s put together, both in terms of the rock music samples and the interlocking vocals.
Admittedly, at times I wonder if it’s actually intensely irritating and completely devoid of substance… But there’s something about these loveable scamps that I can’t stay mad at.
3.5
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
Fair play for abandoning the Sex Pistols' sound and exploring new and interesting sonic textures, but this seems like a case of PiL crawling in a slow, ungainly manner so other post-punks could run.
There's music that’s discordant in an edgy, strangely hypnotic way (which this is some of the time), and then there are downright tuneless, repetitive dirges (which this album veers into a bit too often).
Solange
2/5
It seems like an accomplished piece of work, thoughtfully tied together by the many, many interludes, but nothing struck me as exceptional, or particularly new.
I certainly didn’t dislike it while it was playing, but struggle to recall any of it afterwards (except Cranes in the Sky, though I have heard that one before).
Probably very good if you’re into soulful R&B. Personally I find it a little bland.
2.5
4/5
So then, the search for the definitive Kinks album recommences. Could Arthur be the one? I’d never heard of it before, but it makes a compelling case.
Victoria maintains the apparent one-classic-per-record quota that led me to believe they were primarily just a very strong singles band. But no - this is a consistent, cohesive collection, more so than Face to Face. The Britishness they portray so well is at its most explicit here, treading the fine lines between biting and humorous, rocky and twee.
I think the comparisons with The Who’s Tommy are fair, as is the observation that, while Tommy is slightly bigger in scope and ambition, Arthur is bigger on good tunes and fun. I’d rather hang out with Arthur.
The Kinks
3/5
Consecutive Kinks albums! I’m not complaining - let’s see what this one’s got…
Hmmm it sounds Kinksian alright, but I’m not feeling it like I did with Arthur. A couple of tunes (Harry Rag, Afternoon Tea) stuck with me, but a lot of them, for whatever reason, just sounded ‘fine’.
However, this album’s one allotted hit just happens to be one of the greatest songs ever written, and probably accounts for a large chunk of my 3.5 star rating.
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
I remember this winning the Mercury prize but never listened to it at the time, in those pre-Spotify years. It sounds fairly unique even now though; I can understand the hype.
The unmistakable, arresting vocals are the clear standout, and I think the first three tracks are great - almost transcendent. After that, for me, the album never quite reaches those heights again.
I’ve just given the debut album a listen too and I reckon I might prefer that, pound for pound. Anyway, this one gets a 3.5 from me.
Lou Reed
3/5
I’m struggling to connect with this one. The storytelling across the album has been highlighted as its strong point, yet I’m not as moved as I should be given the heavy subject matter of side two. It’s not like the music is completely tuneless either, but again, it’s not grabbing me either viscerally or cerebrally.
2.5... but I usually give albums that attempt to be cohesive (musically or narratively) the benefit of the doubt, so I’ll round up.
The Birthday Party
2/5
As a Nick Cave fan I was intrigued to dive into this, and I respect the chaos of it all, naturally. But with my Cave-tinted glasses off I can't say I enjoyed it that much.
There are some good tunes (Several Sins is my favourite), but the band generally seemed more intent on making an unholy racket.
The Fall
3/5
Oh, it's a third Fall album. But fair play; it’s another surprisingly accessible, hook-filled listen. Albeit the music often sounds like it was written for a completely different singer.
Is the generator shielding me from their more obtuse output, or were they always actually a bunch of fun-loving popsters at heart?
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
If 90s British guitar bands were Premier League football teams, Manic Street Preachers would be Crystal Palace. Decidedly mid-table, and I wouldn’t want to watch them every week, but respect the way they go about things. They’re solid enough, if a bit predictable and uninspiring at times, but capable of great results on their day.
Much of this album is them on ‘their day’. Well, Design for Life certainly is, at any rate. It still sounds huge, and stirring, and important. The Manics do ‘epic’ well. The album could probably have leaned into those orchestral flourishes more often, but there are quite a few big guitar-filled choruses which achieve a similar effect.
The subjects they write about are usually interesting, too - even if some of the more verbose lines seem like they’re crammed in with little regard for how well they scan within the context of a pop song. And there’s a subtle melancholia in a lot of the songs which sounds like the band trying to move on after Richey Edwards’ disappearance, and I find that quite moving.
All in all, a strong 3.5 / 4.
Goldie
1/5
I wasn’t expecting to love this as 90s dance music, in its various forms, is quite often not my thing. But I know Goldie is a respected and pioneering figure in the scene so I thought there might be something here to enjoy anyway. I was wrong.
‘Timeless’ it ain’t. Except in the sense that it goes on so long, it seems to exist outside of time itself.
ABBA
4/5
Abba are not a group I listen to, day-to-day, even though I do like a lot of defiantly 'pop' music (I've never seen Mamma Mia, and have no burning inclination to do so, just to ram the point home).
I find them a bit too cheesy, a bit too sickly sweet (cheesy AND sweet - is that gastronomically possible?) to ever actively seek out.
None of which is to say that I don't think they're great at what they do, or that when I do listen to them in small doses, I usually have a good time.
If we include Fernando there are 4 undeniable enormo-bangers on this record, and the other tracks are cut from the same cloth. An album that showcases what Abba were all about very well, I'd say.*
*Though having said that, maybe all their albums do? That's the thing thing with Abba: like a box of cheesy chocolates, you know almost exactly what you're gonna get. And maybe that's part of the appeal.
Elbow
5/5
I like every track on here, which the generator process has taught me is surprisingly rare.
- The romantic Starlings and Mirrorball, which are arranged with poise and patience - not afraid to take their time and linger on the quiet bits in order to build a mood. See also the epic Tower Crane Driver, which makes you wait nearly 4 minutes for its spine-tingling release, and is all the better for it.
- The deliciously sly Audience With The Pope and The Fix, which sound like Fagin holding court in dingy Victorian London.
- The nostalgic Bones of You and Weather To Fly, which really emphasise Guy Garvey’s poetic lyrics: ‘…when out of the doorway the tentacles stretch of a song that I know, and the world moves in slo-mo, straight to my head like the first cigarette of the day…’
- The moving Some Riot and Friend of Ours. Garvey’s everyman knack of extracting the beauty and emotion from small moments is never more effective than on the latter, and the orchestral swells in both are gorgeous.
- Elbow’s two biggest hits, One Day Like This and Grounds For Divorce, which, happily, show off two very different sides of the band. As a result of these (ODLT in particular) they hit the mainstream, but it was deserved. There’s a lot craft and nuance in what they do, beyond the sentimental singalongs.
Paul McCartney and Wings
4/5
I can't tell you how I feeeeeel, my heart is like a wheeeeeel...
JET!!
Method Man
2/5
Lyrically, vocally, musically, there were very few bits of this album that left an impression. I don't think it's bad per se, but I can't see what makes it great. To me it's pretty samey and sorely lacking in standout tracks.
I feel like I found more to enjoy on OB4CL and Liquid Swords but to be honest, none of the Wu-Tang solo albums have impressed me much. I guess their sound just ain't for me.
The Velvet Underground
2/5
I find the praise for this album baffling. Yeah it’s a contrast to the San Francisco flower power scene, but what was so revolutionary about it? This was 1968 not 1948 - surely people had heard distorted guitars before? And where are the tunes?? I’m sure their first album had some tunes on it…
I did enjoy the storytelling on The Gift, but not much else.
Underworld
3/5
Didn’t care for this at first, but after a second listen, through earphones, I'm gonna bump it up an extra star.
There's nothing as memorable as Born Slippy (the only non-Olympic Games affiliated Underworld track I knew previously), but Pearl's Girl does a reasonable job of matching its pounding, disorientating beats, albeit without the euphoric release.
The more rave-y tracks have enough punch to keep my feet tapping and the chilled cuts like Blueski are also pretty hypnotic in their own way.
Pearl Jam
5/5
Do I regret leaving halfway through Pearl Jam's set at Leeds Festival 2006 to see Maxïmo Park? No. The former were a slog, the latter were great.
Can I admit that this is a classic hard rock album anyway? Yes. The playing and the singing is strong, and there are several killer tracks back-to-back (the subtle transition from Why Go to Black, incidentally, is a lovely little moment).
I’m knocking off half a star because they made their best track, Yellow Ledbetter, a B-side instead of including it on the weaker second half of Ten. Seriously, what were they thinking?? But, even as someone who occasionally finds Pearl Jam a bit of a slog, I can’t identify any sustained lulls in quality on this album.
4.5
Mott The Hoople
3/5
Pretty enjoyable glam, though it probably won't live long in the memory. The Bowie association is very evident, especially in the first few tracks.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Fatboy Slim was probably the first dance music artist I 'got' when I was a kid. His tunes were playful and catchy, and I could enjoy listening to them in the cold light of day, without requiring the context of some sort of nightclub, dance hall or discothèque. As a wise man once said, 'if this don't make your booty move your booty must be dead'.
The awesome video to Right Here Right Now definitely helped get me on board, too.
Robert Wyatt
3/5
What a curious little album. I don’t know if I’d say I ‘enjoyed’ it loads, but I definitely admire it. The almost childlike vocals and lyrics contrast with the complex and experimental arrangements, and the result is a kind of twisted fairytale world that’s quite alluring.
I can understand why this made the list.
Dennis Wilson
2/5
The context of an ex-Beach Boy finding his own way gave this some intrigue, but the music itself made little impression on me. It threatened to get interesting every now and then but never really got beyond 'somewhat pleasant.'
Devendra Banhart
3/5
Knew the name but not the sound. It sounds very quirky-noughties-folk (and to be fair, given the release date, it probably helped originate that whole scene).
I like it. The 16 tracks rattle along at a decent pace, not lingering on ideas long enough to get stale, but equally they all clearly belong together as part of the same rustic musical landscape.
I’m struggling to choose any standout tracks, but I think that’s because they’re all pretty consistent.
3.5
Minor Threat
2/5
Finally, Minor Threat are more to me than just a line in a Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip song.
This has got a fair bit going for it:
- The guitars in particular sound like a lot of the punk/pop-punk bands of the 90s and beyond. Clearly their influence was far reaching.
- There are a few nice changes of pace mid-track.
- There's some wry humour in the lyrics.
- It must be the shortest album on the list? So no time to get bored, in theory.
- The album cover has sheep on it.
Despite all this it didn't really click for me - I guess it's less than the sum of its parts. I probably wouldn't take 20 minutes out to listen again, and for that reason I'll have to give it 2.5 stars.
The Specials
3/5
I like The Specials in small to moderate doses but their style does grate after a while (Ghost Town is grate-proof; I like when they explore that darker edge to their sound, but they don't do that on this album).
I respect what they're about and their reputation as state-of-the-nation documenters, though I have to take that on faith a bit having not lived through those times. Social commentary comes across in a few of the songs but not all of them.
To summarise: Fun and important, but not *that* fun or *that* important.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
When I first heard this album I was surprised by how much it rocked. It’s got a lot of loud moments, despite relying mostly on distortion-free guitar sounds. In fact it touches a lot of bases, from soulful to woozy to heavy to ethereal, all with a theatrical flair, which I like.
The more restrained moments are equally effective though (I put on Corpus Christi Carol every Christmas Day when we’re opening our presents, and there can be no higher compliment than that). I guess when you’ve got a voice that good you can pull off whatever genre you want.
Oh, and is Jeff‘s version of Hallelujah the best cover of any song ever? Yes. Yes it is.
4.5
The Jam
3/5
I struggle to get too excited by The Jam, even though they tended to deal in broadly similar musical styles to some bands I really like. That's not to say that I don’t think they’re decent enough, or that this album is without its charms. Indeed, I may prefer it just slightly to All Mod Cons.
The wistful, dreaming-of-escaping-the-mundanity-of-life vibes of Man In The Corner Shop and That’s Entertainment were my highlights.
Repeatedly thinking there was a bee in the room during track 9 was my lowlight.
5/5
I’d call this quite a ‘grown-up’ rock record, without the raw, angsty rough edges of youth but nonetheless with a hint of danger to it. It’s sometimes slow, haunting and pretty; occasionally it’s thrilling and visceral; usually it’s somewhere in between. But I feel like there’s a kind of dark undercurrent to the sound, a tension lurking in the background that ties it all together. It’s punctuated now and then (e.g. by the easygoing You Said Something) but it’s never quite released until the final, dreamy chorus of We Float.
Or, to put it more succinctly, it’s a collection of strong, diverse songs, that also work well together as an album.
I can’t give this a straight 5 as there are a few tracks that plod on a bit if I’m not in the right mood. But I also gave Let England Shake 4.5 (rounded down) back when I was marking albums more harshly, so it feels only fair that I round up this time.
Radiohead
5/5
Happy memories of this one, the first Radiohead album release I experienced as a fan. I remember seeing the announcement on Dead Air Space, and while everyone else was losing their shit about the ‘pay what you want’ thing, I was losing my shit over it coming out in just 10 days time.
Then, hearing the album, and seeing what they’d changed from the live versions. Backwards intro on Nude! Shouting children on 15 Step! Fuzzy bass on All I Need! Ok, it took me a while to get on board with the studio version of Videotape, but in general it was an exciting time in my teenage, music-loving life.
It’s not my favourite album of theirs but I can absolutely understand why it would be for others. It’s probably Radiohead's most accessible (since The Bends at least) and certainly their downright prettiest sounding record. There are a couple of tracks that even veer dangerously close to being ‘happy’ - but not at the expense of interesting arrangements or sounds.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
Possibly an Elvis Costello album too far? The opener is strong and there are a couple of other decent tunes on here but I found it a bit arduous to get through the whole thing. I think his older, punkier style suited him better. It does feel like an album that would reward further listens, but I'm not sure it did enough on the first two to earn them from me.
A slightly harsh 2.5 stars.
Rufus Wainwright
4/5
I've never paid much attention to the various Wainwrights over the years, but maybe I should’ve based on this album.
Want Two features a broad range of styles, loosely connected by Rufus’s voice and a general sense of artsiness. This diversity kept things interesting for me, and despite a couple of lulls I found it a very pleasant listen. Even the 9-minute closer held my attention.
No idea where it stands on the ‘must-hear’ scale among RW’s catalogue let alone every album ever, but for enjoyment alone it deserves a good score.
David Bowie
2/5
This isn't my favourite Bowie incarnation, not by a long chalk. I’m not a big fan of the kind of soul music he adopts on this album at the best of times, and I don’t think his own spin adds much value, with the notable exception of Fame. That and the title track almost earn it a third star, but most of the rest is pretty uninspiring.
2.5
Throbbing Gristle
1/5
I’ve actually heard a couple of albums like this on the list now (‘Kollaps’ by Einstürzende Neubauten comes to mind), where the spirit of experimentation isn’t in doubt and some of the resulting sounds are pretty cool, but I just don’t think there’s enough there to make a good album.
It sounds like a collection of demos/jams, half of which could’ve be fleshed out into decent tracks (E-Coli and Hamburger Lady are genuinely unnerving, in a good way) and half of which should probably never have been taken any further, let alone released.
1.5
Radiohead
4/5
To some it may be the band’s political album, but to me it’s their Halloween album. I imagine it soundtracking a particularly ghoulish night, with dusk falling just before 2+2+5, the witching hour beginning during The Gloaming (obviously), and the first light of morning finally beginning to filter through around Scatterbrain. Loads o’ cool spooky sounds and imagery on here; I try to listen to it every 31st of October, if I can.
Not every track is among Radiohead’s greatest (a handful of them are), but I still think the mix of guitars, electronics and a couple of weird left-turns (Thom Yorke rapping!) make for a very enjoyable listen.
4.5 stars.
Johnny Cash
5/5
I like Johnny Cash; to me he’s emblematic of that rugged, old-timey country sound, while also somehow retaining a level of cool and credibility that many of his peers don’t.
Despite this I wasn’t sure a whole album of his would sustain my interest. I thought I’d probably end up giving it a respectful 3 stars, like a lot of the jazz albums the generator serves up.
But… I think this is great. It seems JC really came into his own performing live, and At Folsom Prison does so many things that a great live album should do.
It captures an iconic and unusual concert (well, apparently Cash did loads of prison gigs in his career, but this was the first to be recorded), and the setting is very conspicuous throughout. You can sense it in the raucous crowd noise, the warden’s notices, the chatter between (and during) songs, and the excellently curated setlist, which is a good mix of up-tempo, funny and poignant numbers - a surprising number of which overtly reference prison life, or even Folsom itself. The fact that the last track was written by one of the inmates really seals the deal - this wasn’t just any old gig.
It’s the classic greater-than-the-sum-of-its-parts record. The individual tracks, the fact they’re mostly covers, and the fact it’s a live album wouldn’t usually get me excited. But the whole package in context, and the fact it even exists? Pretty legendary.
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
I was a decade late to the LCD party but I’m a fully paid-up member these days.
First and foremost, this is just irresistibly danceable, in a way that a lot of ‘dance’ music isn’t, for me. Even the weaker tracks are infectious. The lyrics are witty, the vocals are goofy, yet somehow it avoids falling into novelty territory.
The secret ingredient must be pathos - Someone Great, All My Friends and New York I Love You are colossal anthems with real emotional heft.
Fun AND deep. It moves your body, it moves your soul. To paraphrase a famous internet meme, ’get you a band who can do both.’
The B-52's
3/5
I know how good Rock Lobster is. The question is, can the rest of the album match it??
Hmmm, not quite, unfortunately. The best moments are when the lyrics are at their most batshit and surreal, the different vocalists are trading lines, and the music is kinda frenzied too. But I was surprised by how pedestrian and ‘straight’ it becomes at times. Maybe I’m being harsh? It’s still pretty fun on the whole.
3.5
David Ackles
3/5
Well this is something a bit different. Show tunes without the show. I found myself alternating between bored by it's loungey-ness and charmed by it's eccentricity (I was even a little moved by the earnestness of some of the lyrics).
Yep, really not sure how I feel about this one but I think I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
3/5
Nice enough punk 'n' roll from the artist formerly known as Twitter.
Mylo
3/5
I remember this album existing, but wasn’t expecting to recognise so many tunes on it (three, I think!)
Doubts kept creeping in while I listened, like ‘what exactly qualifies this as a must-hear?’ and ‘isn’t this exactly the kind of music I used to hate??’
But in the end, I actually ended up enjoying it. There are some pretty bangin’ grooves, and some pretty groovy bangers, and crucially they’re served with a large dollop of playfulness. The title track does make me smile.
Doves
3/5
Doves have always been a 'nearly' band for me. I like some of their anthemic later singles but find their music can be a bit dour, a bit plodding, and the start of this album did nothing to dissuade me of that.
The second half was a lot better though. Some very pretty stuff on there, which won me over somewhat.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
First of all, kudos to the generator for guiding me through Stevie Wonder’s classic period in chronological order. SITKOL feels like a summation of the albums that came before, only bigger and more ambitious.
Inevitability, then, some of the same flaws are present (namely overly schmaltzy numbers like Knocks Me Off My Feet, and long, repetitive funk sections).
But there’s some kind of voodoo going on here because even these tracks - which would usually be a big turn-off for me - grew on me after a few listens. Many of the tracks go on for ages, repeating the same few chords, but somehow I was ok with that. I’m guessing this is down to the sheer ambition/grandiosity of the thing - even the schmaltzy love songs became *epic* schmaltzy love songs.
As with his previous albums, my favourite bits are often the squelchy, downright filthy sounding tunes, and those that employ less traditional sounds, like the superb All Day Sucker and, improbably, Have A Talk With God.
Then there’s Sir Duke, which is my favourite Stevie song and absolutely joyous. I guess it’s this joie de vivre (plus ridiculous musicianship, obvs) that’s at the root of his appeal in general.
I wouldn’t have scored this so highly earlier in the process, and I definitely wouldn’t have scored it so highly after the first listen. But my scoring system, my levels of perseverance, and, dare I say it, my tastes, have changed since then. Some ‘classic’ albums baffle me as to why they’re so revered, but I definitely understand the hype with this one.
4.5
Fred Neil
2/5
This sounds like it had to be recorded exactly when it was; a few years earlier and it would’ve been fully fledged country-folk, any later and he would’ve made a psych-tinged blues rock record instead.
I don’t have much more to say about it, but that’s ok. It seems Fred considered himself a dolphin-preserver first, musician second anyway. And I respect that.
2.5
Tim Buckley
2/5
Third Tim Buckley album I’ve heard. They’ve all been quite different, but only Hello and Goodbye did anything for me.
His voice is nice and the music was pretty at times, but mostly I just found it dull & aimless. And I usually like vibraphones.
Dwight Yoakam
2/5
I didn't mind a few of the tracks, though I refuse to believe that any album released in the late 80s that sounds *so* generically, stereotypically country could ever be considered a 'must-hear'.
Still, good to hear Buck Owens back in the thick of things again. That guy seems to have been following me around ever since I started this generator malarkey.
The Temptations
2/5
Didn’t really do it for me. It’s not offensive but it is a bit samey and there isn’t a single track I’m desperate to listen to again. Classic sound, but no classic songs à la My Girl.
Chicago
3/5
The prominence of horns is interesting. It straddles the lines between jazz fusion, classic rock, funk and pop, and sometimes finds a nice balance. There are some strong, tuneful, lively songs on here - a lot to like, in the end.
Unfortunately it's hard to really love, as it's prone to being a bit proggy, a bit self-indulgent (track 7, I'm looking at you) and a bit bloody long (both the individual tracks and the album as a whole).
Bebel Gilberto
3/5
As ever my radar for what makes 'good' Latin / bossa nova music is a bit limited - I can't even decide if the modern electronic elements are a help or a hindrance. All I know is that I tend to prefer the more upbeat bits and sometimes zone out during the mellow numbers.
It's all a bit 'backgroundy' but mostly pleasant; I found more more to enjoy here than on the album that (I know now) her dad features on, 'Getz/Gilberto'.
I'm gonna give this a nice neutral 2.5, rounded up.
The Pharcyde
4/5
Didn't know the group beforehand, but within one minute I knew exactly what type of album it was is gonna be, and within half an hour I knew I liked it a lot (and even recognised bits and pieces). It's not completely distinct from other alternative hip-hop acts I've heard and liked; it's funny, goofy, groovy and hooky like your De La Souls, your Tribe Called Quests, but... I think moreso, on all counts?
Just a really fun time, lyrically and musically, and it kept me entertained long past the point in rap albums where I usually lose interest.
Carpenters
3/5
This being my first time consciously listening to the Carpenters, it was pretty fun hearing something I recognised every few tracks (best of all was discovering the Glass Animals sample on Mr. Guder).
Generally I found it to be a pleasant, wholesome listen, but given that two thirds of it is covers, including the biggest hits, I couldn't really score this any higher even if I wanted to.
The Blue Nile
2/5
Initial thoughts:
- this guy's voice definitely has a David Byrne-ish quality, but I'm fairly sure it's not him...
- sounds pretty experimental, while still using a very 80s palette of sounds
- have I heard the second track before?
- seems a bit more concerned with cinematic moodscapes than songs
- kinda vibey but kinda boring - this is gonna take a second listen to decide which wins out
Second listen thoughts:
- I'm listening through earphones, at night, while travelling through the city, which I reckon could be the perfect setting for these songs to shine
- oh, somehow I'm picking up fewer vibes than before, shame
When it all clicks the effect is pretty cool, but it doesn't click all that often, for me.
2 / 2.5
Orange Juice
3/5
It doesn't bode well from a 'does it deserve to be on the list?' perspective when an album's wikipedia entry is about 2 lines long.
Nonetheless, it was an intriguing listen in the end and probably does offer something a bit unique, what with its blend of funk, indie, reggae, pop, African language tunes and Anohni/Hayden Thorpe-esque vibrato vocals, etcetera. It still sounds cohesive too.
R.E.M.
3/5
I always thought R.E.M. were a good band, but I know there are many who consider them to be one of the all-time *great* bands. Their Spotify bio says they ‘marked the point when post-punk turned into alternative rock’, and I guess that’s key to their importance - they helped invent a style of music that was well-established by the time I first heard them, probably at some point in the late 90s.
Anyways, this album has a good muscular sound and there’s a tangible sense of purpose about it all, but it doesn't seem like they had reached their peak from a songwriting perspective. The two big singles in the middle are a cut above; most of the other tracks are perfectly fine but far less memorable (Exhuming McCarthy and Fireplace also stood out to me, to be fair).
I’m looking forward to some of their more celebrated records popping up, and seeing if they can convince me of R.E.M.’s greatness.
Ms. Dynamite
2/5
In 2003 it probably made perfect sense to include Ms. Dynamite on a list like this - she was massive for about a year. Now, not so much.
I enjoy the sassy, streetwise bops (Dy-Na-Mi-Tee, It Takes More, a few others) plenty. But unfortunately these are outnumbered by neo-soul snoozers and slightly insipid R&B tracks - the type of music I've always struggled to like, basically.
2.5 stars
Pink Floyd
4/5
540 albums is a long time to wait for some Pink Floyd. Almost as long as the wait for the first track to get going… But to be fair, the emotional payoff when the vocals come in is worth it.
I found Welcome To The Machine a bit heavy-handed in its message and it doesn’t really go anywhere, but Have a Cigar does a much better job at tackling a similar subject matter, and is relatively concise and accessible by Pink Floyd standards too.
The title track is great, no complaints there.
All in all I don’t agree that the album is GOAT material, but I do ‘get’ why it’s in that bracket for some people. The ambition/scope of it has a kind of goaty quality, I think.
King Crimson
4/5
I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this. It’s very, very prog, but actually quite tuneful, and the noodly instrumental sections (usually) manage to add interesting ideas or build atmosphere rather than just being self-indulgent. The mythical, medieval mumbo jumbo doesn’t bother me either.
It was probably all pretty forward-thinking but 21st Century Schizoid Man in particular *still* sounds so far ahead of its time.
It’s a shame, then, about the last 10 minutes of Moonchild. Seriously, why put that on a record??
Still, I like the cut of rest of the album’s jib.
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
Pros:
- There’s a cohesive sound. It’s got that blues/rock/hip-hop slacker thing down to a T
- I quite like said sound, in small-to-medium doses
Cons:
- It might be *too* cohesive. 58 minutes of the same thing does not make for a great album
- Not bad, but a bit ordinary?
2.5. Nearly a 3, but it just dragged a bit too much.
Cocteau Twins
4/5
Enjoyed Heaven Or Las Vegas, enjoyed this. I hereby appoint Cocteau Twins as my official suppliers of enchanted forest pixie music.
Bad Company
2/5
It’s extremely ‘generic 70s dad rock’, but I guess it does what it does reasonably well, so I can’t be too harsh... actually nah, I can. I listened again and even across 8 tracks there's too much flab, and too much drab(ness), in amongst the good bits.
2.5
Germs
2/5
Really not great.
Finding out Pat Smear was in this band was the most interesting bit for me.
Ice T
3/5
This encompasses pretty much everything you could expect from a rap album:
- Excessively long runtime punctuated with skits/interludes galore, and guest spots (of which I recognise none)
- Laidback jazzy samples alongside dark, murky beats and rock music crossovers
- Loads of gangster braggadocio and boasts of violence, but also serious political and social statements, shout-outs and plenty of throwaway humour
All the good and the bad of 90s hip-hop in one album then. How to rate? I dunno… It largely kept my interest, despite its length, and the fact I actually listened to most of the lyrics probably reflects well on Ice T’s charisma levels.
Killing Joke
3/5
Oh look, more post-punk…
This one is distinguished by a sludgier, more electrified and more industrial sound, which I generally approve of.
I’m not a huge fan of the vocals or the lack of variation in some tracks but its driving rhythms did get the blood flowing during a chilly evening walk.
Laibach
2/5
At first I thought this would be the kind of weird shit I can get behind, but alas, the longer it went on I realised it was a little too weird, even for me.
The blend of industrial noise, tribal chanting and what sounds like nationalist propaganda anthems (EDIT - just read the wiki and it seems that's exactly what it is) is like nothing I've heard before. I'm kind of glad it exists, but I'm not sure I'd want to listen to it again.
EDIT #2 - Now I know that tracks 9-12 don't really belong on the album I have to give this a bump up - there's too much chutzpah in tracks 1-8 to give it just 1 star.
Björk
3/5
An album where the instruments are entirely* (*mostly) vocals deserves its place on the list, if done well, and this is done pretty well.
The crack team of guest vocalists are employed in an impressive variety of ways: mimicking percussion/brass/synths, adding choral backing, or making completely unique sounds. The two singles (Who Is It, Triumph Of A Heart) successfully manage to create something that's definitely pop music, just not as we're used to.
Of course, this being Björk, she doesn't just experiment with the instrumentation but the song structures, phrasing, melodies etc etc. Like most of her 21st century output, it's a pretty challenging listen a lot of the time. Even repeated plays don't guarantee that some tracks will ever 'click'...
Still, little bits of magic frequently do reveal themselves, and the sounds are intriguing enough to keep me trying for more. I once listened to this while travelling through Iceland's rugged landscapes and the music matched the scenery nicely: sometimes beautiful, sometimes stark, but always having an impenetrable, alien quality.
3.5
James Taylor
2/5
James Taylor’s got a soothing voice so I can see why his music would appeal to people - it appeals to me sometimes. But it’s mostly pretty bland and these songs don’t seem like anything special.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
The character-led storytelling and the instrumentation give this a very cinematic/musical theatre feel. In a way it’s peak Springsteen, in terms of epic, working class anthems about seizing the moment, finding the beauty in the mundane and all that jazz.
But for me it doesn’t hit those euphoric highs he’s capable of as often as I’d hoped. The last 3 tracks in particular lose a bit of the momentum that the first 5 build up. I think I preferred DOTEOT, pound for pound.
Still, I’ll give it a respectable 3.5 stars.
Supertramp
3/5
First minor surprise: I always thought Supertramp were American...
Second minor surprise: I thought this would include more quirky pop goodness (a bit like Dreamer, I guess), but a lot of it's fairly standard prog / yacht rock. There are a few growers on here so it's probably just about worth 3 stars, but I expect there'll be another Supertramp album on this list, and I expect I'll enjoy that one more.
Prince
4/5
Fair play, Prince has won me round a bit with this one.
I think that Purple Rain (the song) is overrated, but the percentage of bangers on this album is pretty damn high. Not a lotta flab.
4 / 4.5
The Good, The Bad & The Queen
4/5
Surprised to see this pop up. I can’t help but think there are other, more ‘essential’ 21st century albums that could’ve been included in its place.
Don’t get me wrong, I own it on CD and think it’s really good. Like most Albarn projects it’s stuffed full of pretty melodies, and there are a handful of real gems here, like the aptly titled Herculean. The production is good too - it’s got a slightly rustic quality that brings to mind England’s past, but it’s not clear exactly when.
For this project I’ll cap my score at 3.5 but for personal enjoyment it would be a solid 4.
Nirvana
5/5
The Nirvana songs are good; they don’t lose much in translation from the studio versions, and gain a raw, haunting quality, with Cobain’s voice even more at the forefront.
But the real stars of this album are the covers. Those Meat Puppets songs are great - I don’t think that gets talked about enough (I’ve since listened to the originals and they don’t compare - Nirvana’s renditions give them so much more depth). The Bowie cover is on point and Where Did You Sleep Last Night is the highlight of the whole thing, especially with the context of Kurt’s mental state at the time.
That context has helped put this album on a pedestal that I’m not sure it would’ve reached based on the performance alone, but who knows, maybe it would’ve got close. For a live album to become iconic the performance needs to be special and unique, but it doesn’t hurt if there’s some mythology around it too.
4.5
Sugar
3/5
Didn't know the band but I quite enjoyed this. Melodic alt-rock that got me nodding along consistently while sounding in no way revolutionary.
Absolutely textbook 3 star album.
Neil Young
4/5
Lots of Neil Young on this list and it’s not all gold, but it’s been more good than bad so far. I wouldn’t say I’m a fully-fledged fan yet, but I’ve certainly become a well-wisher of his.
Some very immediate, sing-song melodies on this one, with occasional injections of energy and bite. Would happily listen through again in future.
I was racking my brains to remember where I’d heard Don’t Let It Bring You Down before, and I think it must be from Everything Everything’s version. Great song. It’s nice when the generator helps me link a cover I know to its source.
Miles Davis
2/5
With Bitches Brew and In A Silent Way I understood the praise - I could recognise some pretty wild experimentation and some pretty alluring sounds. With this, I don’t - it just sounds like jazz. Maybe it was so influential that all subsequent jazz music copied it, and that’s why I can’t tell the difference?
The music also had no emotional impact, except to occasionally depress me (and not in the good way that music sometimes does). Flashbacks to my 14 year old self toiling through a piece that sounded a lot like Freddie Freeloader during a saxophone lesson might be influencing me here…
Jean-Michel Jarre
3/5
Enjoyed this on the whole; it manages to wring a few distinct moods out of a fairly limited musical palette. France definitely has a strong lineage of electronic music innovators.
It’s more bad news for my opinion of early 90s dance acts, though. Seems to me that some of them built a whole career on sticking a breakbeat over the top of Oxygène, Pt. 1.
Tangerine Dream
2/5
Nice work, generator. Contemporary reviews on the wiki for yesterday’s Jean-Michel Jarre album compared it (unfavourably) to Tangerine Dream, so now’s a good time for me to decide for myself.
I found Phaedra to be more symphonic (less poppy), perhaps more sophisticated, certainly more eerie, and undeniably earlier to the party than Oxygène. But as good? Not for me. Feels like something that’d work well as a soundtrack but it's not very enjoyable to listen to on its own.
It gets a 2nd star for pushing/smashing through some of the musical boundaries of its time.
Def Leppard
2/5
I gave Hysteria 2.5 stars and I'll have to do the same here. Stick the best hits from both (like Photograph, in this case) onto one album and you've got yourself a 4-star guilty pleasure. But as it is there's too much plodding 80s rock and cringey frontman schtick to wade through on each before you find those sweet choruses.
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
Well, I liked the version that’s on Spotify. I had a nice little meditate to it and everything.
Then I discovered I’d been duped, and had to seek out the real album (which, in hindsight, does sound much more like something that would’ve been recorded in 1967). Both albums sound exactly like the album art looks: tranquil, rustic, yet somewhat exotic to Western ears. The ‘real’ album sounds a little more mysterious and a little less lush, but still largely to my taste.
I’ll give it 3.5 stars, rounded up, but I won’t lie: part of my score is based on my enjoyment of the imposter album from 2012. I mean, they’re both part of the same lineage, right?
Klaxons
4/5
The fleeting moment in time that was the 'new rave' era might not go down as the most glorious or important movement in music history, but I'm sure there are worse scenes to soundtrack one's high school/uni years. This album is fun, chaotic, carefree and surreal - much like those times themselves, eh? When I hear the intro to Atlantis to Interzone today I can almost smell that heady mix of glowstick chemicals, sweat and cheap beer.
3.5 / 4
Pantera
3/5
Not bad in the end. Thought it was gonna be all thrashy and growly and it was a bit, but there were also some decent guitar riffs and more variety in styles than I feared.
Tom Waits
4/5
Best Tom Waits album I’ve heard yet. It’s got that Bone Machine percussion I like and lots of those twisted, raucous folk-blues numbers that sound like they’d be playing in a backstreet dive bar in deepest darkest scumsville, or a Disney villain’s lair.
Nitpicking, I’d say it could be trimmed a bit, and that the more straight-up ballads don’t interest me as much as the weirder, grimier ones. But it doesn’t drag like most 19-track albums would - it’s all good stuff, really.
4 / 4.5
5/5
When I first heard this as a teenager I was a touch underwhelmed ('this is the so-called greatest album ever? It's not as good as Abbey Road, for starters'). Even when it came up today I hadn't decided if it was worth 4 or 5 stars.
But listening again, it's an easy choice. So many iconic yet very different tracks (stylistic u-turns everywhere you look) drenched in gorgeous technicolour production. A Day In The Life just seals the deal.
Deerhunter
4/5
I’ve listened to this album before, but never really any more of Deerhunter’s work. Which is strange, because this is definitely good enough to warrant further investigation.
Sure, there are times when it’s fairly standard guitar-based indie, but there are other times when it rises above those confines to create something a bit transcendent, like Desire Lines, or something that sounds like I’m in a very pleasant dream, like Helicopter and He Would Have Laughed. The general theme of nostalgia and melancholy appeals to me too.
3.5
John Lee Hooker
2/5
The Babadook-esque cover caught my attention, but the music let it go again.
JLH may well have been a pioneering bluesman but this 1989 collection sounds a bit stale, despite all the guest appearances (or maybe because of them? I liked the last 3 tracks where it was just him, stripped-back, the most). There are some agreeable grooves, but they're all stretched too thin to serve as more than background music.
2.5
Dire Straits
3/5
My first impression (after noting the underwhelming album art) was ‘wow, this first track sounds quite a lot like Sultans of Swing’. But that’s no bad thing, and maybe it’s just a case of them locking down their signature sound nice and early in their career. And as signature sounds go, this one is easy on the ears - deft, nimble fretwork and licks a-plenty; technically impressive but ‘light’ and relatively un-showy, somehow.
It’s probably lacking in killer tracks to accompany SoS, but still a pleasing listen from top to bottom.
3.5 stars
John Lennon
4/5
There are couple of overplayed classics early doors and a couple of relative duds towards the end, but most of the rest is good solid stuff - maybe better than I expected. Lennon’s bitter, political anger and softer, more loving side are both represented pretty well here.
I’ll give John the same rating I gave George: 3.5 / 4
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Hmmm, I remember rating this highly previously, but when the generator spat it out I found it a real slog to get through, other than about half a dozen killer tracks.
Then I listened again through headphones and started to rediscover its quality; the music was more impactful and I paid attention to more lyrics, which are obviously the most important part of the album. It doesn’t work as background music, despite some of the jazzy bits sounding like that sometimes - it needs all of your attention.
I prefer GKMC but TPAB is clearly an important work that I respect a lot and enjoy slightly less (but I still do enjoy it).
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Sympathy For The Devil isn't my favourite Rolling Stones song but there's definitely something unique about it, which is more than I can say for the rest of the album. Once again, it's all fine (Stray Cat Blues and Salt of The Earth are better than fine) but everything's in that same rootsy vein that doesn't stand out to me, hence I struggle to understand the hype.
FWIW I feel like I'm always slagging off the Stones so for balance, I'll go on record as saying I really like their new album. Much more than this one.
2.5 / 3
Tracy Chapman
4/5
Sure, this veers close to generic singer-songwriter blandness at times but Tracy does it better than most; the lyrics are earnest and the melodies are strong more often than not.
3.5 stars, rounded up as Fast Car was a childhood favourite o’ mine.
Christine and the Queens
3/5
I always liked Tilted but stopped paying attention to CatQ around this album as I felt the new disco-funk direction wasn’t for me.
Apparently I was a bit hasty; although it tails off towards the end I actually enjoyed the first half of ‘Chris’ quite a lot. There are some decent atmospheric pop songs on here, especially ‘The walker’.
Not sure what qualifies it as a must-hear album though.
Nanci Griffith
2/5
This seems like competent small-town country music storytelling, but after track 2 I found myself losing interest pretty quickly.
Seeing Woolworth's front and centre of the generator website was a nice and unexpected dose of nostalgia though.
The Beta Band
2/5
Never heard of this. Who knows, maybe it was slightly ahead of it's time in 2001 but it sounds unremarkable and very un-listworthy today.
I mean, it’s not bad. A bit quirky and a bit experimental, but not in ways that really do it for me.
2.5
Garbage
4/5
I do like the sound of Garbage in the morning. That blend of grungy guitars, pop hooks, samples & breakbeats is very, very, *very* 90s, but also kind of up my alley.
Roughly half of the album is really strong, though the other half is just alright and it could’ve benefitted from being a couple of tracks shorter, if I’m honest. Still enjoyed it, mind.
Not an all-timer, but definitely list-worthy: 3.5 / 4
David Crosby
2/5
What the generator has taught me so far is that of the CSNY bunch, I only really rate Y...
This seems more like a collection of half-finished demos/rarities 'from the vault' than a fully-fledged album, to me. The songs that do feel compete are ok, I guess. I'd listen to What Are Their Names and Orleans again.
Alice Cooper
3/5
Another enjoyable album for Mr. Cooper & pals. There aren’t any really outstanding tracks on here but it’s all pretty fun.
I was always vaguely well-disposed towards AC, probably after he appeared on Never Mind The Buzzcocks, and now I've heard a couple of his albums I'm even more so.
3 / 3.5
Beck
4/5
From memory alone I'd have said this album has some sublime moments (Lost Cause) and some exquisite string arrangements (Paper Tiger, the ever-ascending coda of Lonesome Tears), but doesn't sustain that quality and becomes kinda dull by the end.
Still mostly true, but listening again on a frosty morning I realised there are some great tracks on the second half too (particularly Sunday Sun and Little One), and at any rate the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. The forlorn and languid but vaguely ominous tone of these songs is strangely hypnotising.
3.5 / 4
Deep Purple
3/5
- Get's off to a poor start with a turgid song about a car.
- Like the previous Deep Purple album, it does improve when the organ bits come in.
- The riff to Smoke On The Water has lost its lustre over the years, but I enjoyed discovering the very literal nature of the lyrics and the story behind them.
I feel like it's all a bit 'meh' really so it gets half-marks: 2.5 stars. But there's something about the big dumb riffs and big dumb lyrics of Space Truckin' in particular that makes me smile, so I'm roundin' up.
King Crimson
2/5
Whereas KC’s debut album was surprisingly hook-laden, this is next-level proggy. And the problem with next-level proggy albums is that, while there might be cool and interesting bits on every track, you have to sit through a lot of silliness to get to them.
2.5
Nightmares On Wax
1/5
Like being on hold to the bank's customer service helpline for an hour and a quarter.
1.5
Pentangle
3/5
A band that's right in my dad's wheelhouse but a new one for me. It didn't knock my socks off but I like it - it's got that rustic, medieval folk sound down to a tee, but the instrumentation still sounds rich, thanks to the glockenspiels, the sitars, and some very handy guitar playing.
R.E.M.
4/5
Strong album. Of the songs I already knew, the irresistibly peppy The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight may be me favourite. Conversely, the darker tones of Drive and Monty Got A Raw Deal stood out among the tracks I didn’t know. The instrumental was very nice, too.
4 / 4.5
Nick Drake
2/5
Nick Drake is the kind of revered artist I should know more about but probably needed the generator to prompt me into giving him a proper listen.
The music is 'nice' and some of the lyrics seem interesting but I found the whole package a bit uninspiring.
Maybe more listens/a different album of his would make me understand the appeal but for now I'll give this 2.5 stars.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
4/5
We've had rappers cover socio-political issues on the list before, but never as thoroughly, pointedly or articulately as this. That deserves praise, as does the slightly awkward pun in the group's name.
I guess I'm a still a bit of a layman when it comes to early 90s hip-hop, but I enjoyed this more than, say, the Public Enemy albums I've heard so far. Can't help but feel reputation (or lack thereof) has played a part in their respective rankings on here.
My only real complaint is a common one: individual tracks and the album as a whole are longer than they need to be. If they'd culled a few of the weaker numbers it would be a straight 4 stars, but I'll probably still round up as a 'nice discovery / hidden treasure that deserves more love' bonus.
3.5
The Who
3/5
I actually quite enjoyed the whole advertising schtick. Sure, it's been done since, but this was probably highly original at the time. Some of the adverts-as-songs genuinely raised a smile.
Scores well for the flow and cohesiveness of the album; the concept is fun, and well executed.
Scores less well for killer tunes - ICSFM is the clear standout. The rest are pleasant enough, but a little lightweight.
Public Enemy
2/5
After 3 Public Enemy albums it’s still not clicking like I hoped it would, so I don’t think I can give the benefit of the doubt on this occasion.
Yes I respect that there’s some purpose to the lyrics, yes I appreciate there must be some craft to stitching all those samples together, and yes there are a handful of tracks that actually do have a bit of groove to them (including a couple of Flavor Flav-heavy tracks, for all the disparagement he gets).
But overall I just don’t find the production style that enjoyable, especially in large doses, and I have tried. It’s just monotonous to listen to.
2.5 stars
Khaled
3/5
I enjoyed the strings and the more traditional Arabic sounds. I didn’t much enjoy the attempts to incorporate modern pop & funk elements. Actually, I thought the album was a bit of a stinker at first but grew quite fond of a lot of the grooves in the end.
I have no idea if this was an important, must-hear album within its particular genre, but it’s nice to hear something a bit different so I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt.
The Prodigy
4/5
My kinda dance music: squelchy bass, aggressive guitars, frenetic beats, spacey synths, and bleepy bloopy hooks. Some of The Prodigy's best tracks are on this album. A few others sorta feel like filler, but I never got bored.
3.5 / 4
The Byrds
3/5
This was fine. The dreamier and more psychedelic elements help smooth out some of those jangly Byrds guitars, which I think is a good thing.
One of those albums where none of the tracks on their own seem particularly noteworthy but it was a pretty consistently pleasant listen regardless.
Kid Rock
2/5
It’s easy to see why this is so hated. For starters he’s just an irritating guy (and that’s based on this album alone, ignoring the fact he’s now a MAGA nutjob). Yeah I know being bratty and offensive is kind of the schtick, but others manage to do it while retaining some likeability.
The lyrical content is tediously superficial, the rapping is sub-par, the rock elements are derivative and it’s completely devoid of the charm that good country music has.
AND YET… Did I enjoy some of the riffs? Did some of the choruses get stuck in my head? Did my irritation even start to transform into amusement after a while? Guilty, your honour…
1.5 / 2
Shack
2/5
I went in blind (deaf?) but within 5 seconds I predicted exactly what kind of album this would be: jangly guitar pop that’s just melodic enough to enjoy at the time but far too bland to leave an impression afterwards.
Probably benefited, critically, from being released in that post-britpop, pre-00s indie black hole where not much else was happening.
The Coral
4/5
Even though my first ever standing gig was The Coral I’d never listened to this album in full before. Apparently that was my loss.
I’m a fan of the unhinged, chaotic energy in most of these songs, and the way it sounds completely cohesive and somewhat unique despite the clear 60s influences.
And that’s before considering Dreaming of You, which is worth a star on its own.
In conclusion: much better than yesterday’s turn of the century Liverpudlian guitar band album (H.M.S. Fable).
Primal Scream
3/5
Primal Scream hold the dubious record of being the band who’ve appeared at the most festivals I’ve attended without me seeing them once. I wouldn’t say I’ve actively snubbed them, there have just been better bands to see, or better things to do. And that kind of sums up my attitude to them on record, too.
That said, I prefer the darker, more experimental, more electronic nature of this album to their baggy, ravey stuff, even if there are too many instrumental jams to make it a must-hear.
2.5/3
George Jones
2/5
So country. Much slide guitar.
Sonic Youth
3/5
File this under ‘albums I thought I’d enjoy more’.
I like the energy created by the chaotic guitars and detached-yet-urgent vocals, but the impact gets diluted by the long instrumental sections, and I found myself losing interest by the end of the album each time I listened through.
It does feel objectively cool and important though.
The Divine Comedy
3/5
I think The Divine Comedy is best enjoyed in small does - the OTT theatrics and clever-clever lyrics can get a bit much after a while. There's some good stuff on here though, and the Father Ted theme tune always puts me in a good mood.
Depeche Mode
4/5
It’s a good sign when an album doesn’t contain a band’s biggest hits (well, not the ones I was most familiar with anyway) and I still enjoy it this much. A boatload of deliciously gloomy tunes, kept afloat by catchy synth and vocal hooks.
It threatens to get a bit samey but interesting left-turns like I Want You Now stop that from happening.
The Streets
5/5
1: It’s a narrative-driven concept album where basically nothing happens, narrated by a man who sounds like he’s never rapped before in his life.
I was going to provide a whole list of other reasons why this album is excellent, too, but honestly if you need it explaining then you’ll probably never get it anyway (and you’re probably not from the UK).
Besides, it’s hard enough remembering my opinions without remembering my reasons for them.
Kate Bush
5/5
I found The Sensual World a bit underwhelming but this album far exceeded my modest expectations, it’s ace.
I knew tracks 1 and 6 from a greatest hits CD but outside of that context I can better appreciate what mighty, deranged bangers they are, and the rest of the album lives up to them.
It’s as nuts and experimental as you’d hope from Kate Bush (the line ‘we let the weirdness in’ from Leave It Open is a fitting mission statement/badge of honour for the album) but also far more listenable than many reviews suggest. There are frenzied, soaring vocal hooks in almost every song that may turn other people off, but they’re like aural opium to me.
4.5
Buzzcocks
2/5
When everything clicks there are some fun moments but this is mostly fairly unremarkable punk to my ears.
Reinforces my preconception of The Buzzcocks as one-hit wonders, even though they were probably more successful than that.
2 / 2.5
Lenny Kravitz
3/5
I don’t really know LK beyond Fly Away and Are You Gonna Go My Way but am vaguely aware that he was actually kind of a big deal for a while, just before my time, so I was intrigued to discover why.
It’s… erm… fine? More soul influences than I expected. But none of the tunes blew me away, and the well-meaning messages of peace and love didn’t really move me either I’m afraid. It all felt like it had been done before, many times.
The rockier bits were probably the highlights; maybe that’s why he leaned into these more later in his career (did he? I don’t actually know. Maybe I’ll find out one day if the generator so decides?)
In must-hear album terms it’s only getting 2.5 stars from me, but I’ll round up because like I said, it’s fine.
The Darkness
4/5
This was one of the first albums I bought as a 13 year old that felt a bit ‘dangerous’ (as much because of the naked woman on the cover as the music, as I remember). Getting to see The Darkness perform the whole thing live last month was a lovely reminder of both those rebellious times and a really good album (Friday Night in particular was joyous).
They took themselves less seriously than a lot of the classic rock bands they were pastiching, but also in my opinion wrote better tunes than most of them. Strip away the humour and the innuendos and you’re still left with some genuinely strong songs.
Also, the sequencing of Love Is Only A Feeling straight after I Believe In A Thing Called Love always tickled me.
4.5
Sinead O'Connor
3/5
NC2U was pretty much all I knew Sinead O’Connor for until her recent death, so this was an education for me. Interesting mix of styles, and the defiant lyrics reflect the values she clearly lived by, which I respect a lot.
It runs out of steam a bit towards the end but the first ~2/3rds is pretty captivating.
3.5
Small Faces
3/5
I like the Small Faces (much more than The Faces, but that’s not for now); they were one of the bands my dad’s CD collection introduced me to at a young age. Itchycoo Park was my favourite but Lazy Sunday wasn’t far behind, so it’s good to see that on here in among some pretty strong tracks on side 1.
Side 2 takes a bit of getting used to but ultimately I became a fan - the narrator’s playful manipulation of the English language is quite a marvel and the fairytale concept surely offers something unique to the 1001.
3.5
Little Simz
4/5
Ooh a new’un, and a good’un. Good candid lyrics, good varied beats. SIMBI (ha! I’ve literally just realised what that acronym spells 🤦♂️) is a good album too but I like that this one’s more consice and flab-free. I’ve always respected Little Simz from a distance but maybe it’s time to become a fully paid-up fan?
Pink Floyd
4/5
Huh, I always thought ‘The Wall’ was a metaphor for, y’know, the machine, ‘The Man’, the system that keeps us all in check - that sort of thing. Seems I was very much mistaken.
So after one slightly bewildering listen through I read up on the plot synopsis, which both aided my enjoyment significantly and proved very necessary, as even studying all the lyrics wouldn’t have helped me keep up with the various diversions into hallucinations, memories and other narrative leaps.
Despite being somewhat hard to follow, it feels like the majority of the tracks on the album do exist primarily to serve the storyline, and as a result there’s a noticeable lack of tunes that work well in isolation (there are a couple of famous exceptions, of course). There are interludes and segues, which is fine, but most tracks feel like more thought was given to the lyrics than the music.
I’m not sold on some of the specifics of the story, and I’m not entirely sure what moral viewpoints it’s trying to put across, or whether they’re any good.
And yet, I agree that the whole thing is kind of compelling…
The general concept of building a wall between yourself and the world, and the themes of isolation, the depths of the human psyche, nature vs nurture etc are all pretty solid and interesting.
I’m also impressed by the ambition of it all, as I often am with Pink Floyd, and I’ve always been a sucker for albums that make the effort to flow, tell a story, and use recurring musical and lyrical motifs - my previous album scores have consistently reflected that.
So I’ll give it a cautious 3.5, rounded up for the pure chutzpah of the thing.
Frank Black
3/5
None of these tracks rival the best of the Pixies’ output, though they’re all cut from the same agreeable cloth. Shortening the album to put more focus on the stronger tunes would definitely have been to its benefit.
I have serious doubts about whether it warrants a place on this list, but to be honest as soon as I saw the cover I knew I couldn’t give this less than a 3. Just look at Frank’s happy little face!
Lambchop
2/5
The cover intrigued me in a ‘this could be anything’ kind of way but I did not care for the contents. It feels like a ‘lyrics first’ type of album, because behind the lush orchestration the actual tunes are pretty thin, but ultimately neither the words nor the music grabbed me (or, when they did, they let me go again pretty sharpish).
M.I.A.
3/5
To be honest I found this pretty irritating to begin with, but as time went by the hooks started worming their way into my brain, and it became the good kind of irritating.
It’s knowingly trashy but not vacuous, which I kinda respect as a combination.
Arcade Fire
5/5
By 2010 Arcade Fire were my favourite band. I liked the singles they released preceding this album, but was there something missing? Where was that ethereal pixie dust they sprinkled on their first two records that made them sound like they were coming from a different world? With the odd exception, like Rococo, the songs on the album turned out to be surprisingly ‘normal’ in their instrumentation - Springsteen-esque, perhaps.
I was on holiday in Devon when The Suburbs came out, in the same small town where I’d spent all the summers of my youth, but which was sadly lacking in somewhere you could buy compact discs. I waited at a bus stop for over an hour to get a ride to a Tesco in a nearby town to buy it; truly, these were different times. We Used To Wait indeed.
My heart sank when I got there. It seemed I’d wasted a moderate amount of time and money for nothing. But hang on a second! There was one copy of The Suburbs left. I played it on our crappy old CD player and loved it. All these songs about nostalgia, growing up and change, in the place where I grew up and feel the most nostalgia for.
It was gratifying that even when they wrote more ‘normal’ sounding songs, Arcade Fire connected with me in a way that most bands don’t.
So while Funeral might be my favourite Arcade Fire album, The Suburbs means more to me, somehow.
Fairport Convention
4/5
I was going to give this the same score as Liege and Lief - combine the best tracks of both and you’d get a pretty great album. But then I decided Unhalfbricking is pretty great on its own. I’m well familiar with Fairport’s signature folk rock sound but within that and outside that there’s quite a bit of variance. Take for example the hypnotic drones of A Sailor’s Life, the contemplative loveliness of WKWTTG? and the riotous hoedown of Million Dollar Bash (strange that there are so many Dylan compositions on here, but they do work well).
Lovely album cover and title, too - the name makes perfect sense now I’ve read about its origin!
Circle Jerks
3/5
Not my usual brew but it’s hard to be mad at any album that only takes up 15 minutes of my time. Plus it’s fun, not completely unmusical and apparently influential. And did I mention how pleasingly short it is??
Skunk Anansie
3/5
This sounds like a bit of a snapshot of 90s rock, dipping into grunge, alt-rock, britpop and nu-metal on occasion, all of which I like. At no point did I think ‘wow, I really love this tune’, but it’s a solid enough set of songs sung by a frontwoman with a great voice and something to say.
3.5
Gotan Project
2/5
Eh, as background music goes I don’t mind this. It was a more than adequate soundtrack to walking round Melbourne on a sunny day. I just struggle to understand how it’s a must-hear.
2.5
Nick Drake
5/5
Ok, Bryter Later wasn’t for me but I completely get the appeal of Pink Moon now.
It’s occasionally eerie or a bit ominous but not depressing, to my ears, Nick’s mental state notwithstanding. Just very pretty, succinct and somewhat hypnotic.
I’ve already found myself returning to this album a few times and discovered more to like with each listen, so I think I’m gonna have to give it a rare ‘surprise 5’.
Big Star
3/5
0 stars for nominative determinism, as this was emphatically not a #1 record, and the band did not become big stars.
3 big stars for the music, which is consistently tuneful and pleasant on the ear.
I’m not sure how much we can credit these guys as being trailblazers, given the clear nods to 60s bands, but it’s testament to the strength of the songs that I reckon this album deserves to be on the list regardless.
Kanye West
4/5
Is Kanye West a genius? His recent descent into madness is probably the best argument in favour, such is the fine line between the two (or so they say). It’s that or convincing people to pay $120 for a plain white t-shirt, anyway.
Musically I’m not sure, but I would say he’s very competent at what he does. The production is nearly always slick and interesting and varied. His wordplay and cocksure attitude - tempered with just enough self-awareness to keep the listener onside - makes for compelling listening.
In the first half of the album he’s operating at the top of his game, but the second half is weaker (Runaway aside) and drags a bit. I’ll still give it 4.5 stars because it’s probably one of this century’s more ambitious and important records.
Massive Attack
4/5
I’ll still happily go to bat for the later Massive Attack albums, but this is a good one too, no denying. Much better than Protection.
One Love and Five Man Army are vintage MA - anything with Horace Andy singing on it is ok with me, basically - and Unfinished Sympathy is timeless.
Plus, very few other albums can claim, with unanimous agreement, to have invented a whole genre.
Jeff Beck
2/5
I have a degree of received respect for Jeff Beck as a guitarist but this style of stodgy blues rock just bores me. And when it’s basically all covers what’s the point, really?
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Thought I’d enjoy this more based on Fighter and Beautiful, but the non-album tracks are pretty average. And there are far too many of them - a tight 10-tracker would’ve been much more to my liking.
2.5 starrs
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
Does this belong on the list? Probably not, but I preferred it to their debut album - there are some good atmospheric tracks to get lost in, and even though they don’t all hit the spot it’s fairly listenable throughout.
The second half was more interesting; the dreamy track 6 and industrial track 7 were standouts for me.
3 / 3.5
Public Image Ltd.
3/5
I thought this was quite a bit better than Metal Box. There were a couple decent punky songs in the second half, but even the long, rambling jams usually had hypnotic basslines that I didn’t actually mind listening to for minutes on end.
More good than bad, for me: 3 / 3.5 stars.
Beyoncé
3/5
Obviously she’s a powerhouse performer and colossus of the music biz etc but I’ve paid very little attention to Beyoncé’s music since Crazy In Love (which is excellent, ofc). Is anything on here as good as that?
Probably not, but I quite liked the first 3 tracks, the last 3 tracks, and also Jealous and XO. I guess I like slightly sugary pop choruses with big, cinematic, bass-y chord changes, but also some more experimental production here and there? Less keen on the R&B/soul stuff in the middle, but I knew that already.
Waylon Jennings
3/5
There are some country albums that I can’t get into at all, and there are some where it all just clicks and I genuinely enjoy it, even if semi-ironically.
This was the latter - the perfect soundtrack to a walk home along a poorly lit country road at night.
3.5
John Lennon
4/5
I make no secret of being a Beatles fan but that doesn’t mean I’m automatically a fan of John Lennon (the artist or the man). When I first heard this I found the screaming a bit grating, thought Lennon’s bitter worldview was somewhat tiresome and deemed there to be a general lack of bangers.
And yet there’s something compelling about it that made me re-listen and ultimately re-evaluate. I now think this album’s pretty great. It’s raw and there are some really powerful moments vocally, lyrically and musically. Like this:
‘There's room at the top they are telling you still / But first you must learn how to smile as you kill’
Probably not an original sentiment, but it’s succinct and it hits hard, right? Right.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
I’m sure I’m in the minority but I think the ‘experimental pop’ side of the Rolling Stones (as heard on Mother’s Little Helper and Under My Thumb) is one of the more interesting features of their discography. It sounds like Brian Jones deserves most of the credit for this?
I was looking forward to a whole album in this vein, but I got maybe half of one. There’s the usual smattering of unremarkable blues numbers, but there are moments of melodic inspiration and unusual instrumentation too.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
5/5
Admittedly I only joined the Bad Seeds fan club a few years ago but they seem to be maturing like a fine wine, and this album has a legitimate claim to being their best.
I won’t pretend to know what all of Nick’s lyrics are about but there are some devastating lines that cut through, and his poetic imagery really compliments the ethereal, fairytale soundscapes that Warren Ellis helps to create.
It’s far more graceful, beautiful and euphoric (or maybe cathartic is a better word here?) than an album about grief has any right to be, really.
And then it closes on a song as bleak as Hollywood, suggesting that the grief remains after all, partially or completely unresolved. That jarring change in the bass pattern at 9 minutes in… amazing stuff.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Call me gramps, but this is a little too ‘tuneless noise’ for my tastes. In its favour I’d say that it does sound very ‘modern’ in its sensibilities for 1986, so maybe it helped pioneer alt-rock as we know it, or something?
Also, Shadow of a Doubt is a gem. The creepy/dreamy atmosphere the band builds really works on that track.
2.5 stars
The Young Gods
4/5
I didn’t know what kind of music this band made before listening and I’m still not completely sure afterwards, but I think I like it. The orchestral parts give it a really cinematic feel, like a blockbuster movie soundtrack, but one of the more weird and mind-bending blockbusters. A Christopher Nolan film perhaps.
I’m giving this movie 3.5 stars, and rounding up as a small ‘va te faire foutre’ to the haters.
TV On The Radio
3/5
Look, I’m as surprised as anybody about TVOTR appearing twice on this list, but their music is usually good so you could do a lot worse.
I like the experimentation, the dark tone of a lot of the tracks, and Tunde’s voice, so a tune like Ambulance with its ominous acapella backing is right up my street.
There’s enough good stuff on here for a 3.5, but it does kinda run out of steam towards the end so I won’t round up this time.
Aimee Mann
4/5
Expected standard 90s singer-songwriter soft rock, and it is that to an large extent, but I was pleasantly surprised by the voice, the melodies, the occasional orchestral left-turn and especially the lyrics.
Maybe that’s all still not enough to make it a ‘must hear’, but as it’s here I’ll give it the ol’ ‘3.5 rounded up’, as it’s always nice when I enjoy an artist I’d never heard of before so much.
The KLF
1/5
I really struggle to take this seriously. Reading up a bit about the KLF, I can’t tell if they even wanted to be taken seriously? The group themselves and the way they went about things actually seems much more interesting and entertaining than the music they made.
Build a Fire was a surprisingly lovely moment in an admittedly improved second half of the album, but the damage had already been done by then. If I can’t use the one-star button on that first half, what’s it there for?!
Ok, 1.5 stars…
50 Cent
3/5
I bought this* when it came out in the midst of my schoolboy rap phase, and pretty much ever since then I’ve viewed it as one of the more shameful entries in my CD collection. But it’s actually better than I remember; there are hooks on nearly every track, Dre’s production is decent and 50’s rapping is fine.
It does outstay its welcome though and the lyrics are completely ‘route 1 gangsta rap’, over and over again. But hey, at least he had the muscles and the bullet wounds to back up the hard man image.
*I got my sister to buy it for me as I feared I was too young to buy a CD with a ‘parental advisory’ sticker on it… 😔
Taylor Swift
3/5
I’m a fan of pandemic-era Taylor; but should Folklore have been included instead of Evermore? Yeah, of course. It has better tunes and came first.
I still like this, though. The songwriting is top-notch and for every slightly uninspiring track there are a couple that effectively up the energy or tug on the heartstrings.
3.5 stars
The Prodigy
4/5
The non-singles are pretty standard Prodigy fare; tracks 3-5 are kinda average in my opinion but they get better after that.
Still, it’s the 3 monster hits that boost this album above the riff-raff and up to - or just beyond - the level of Music For The Jilted Generation.
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
I like ELO’s sound - that peppy, technicolor mix of guitars, synths, strings and prominent backing vocals. I should probably listen to more of their stuff.
It’s credit to them that they made a double album that probably justifies being a double album (i.e. there are more decent tracks than would’ve fit on one ~40 minute LP), though I won’t pretend the whole piece wouldn’t feel like it lacks a bit of magic without Mr. Blue Sky on it.
Hüsker Dü
2/5
A cynic might say this is just the same basic song 20 times over. A more sympathetic reading would be that it’s the same 5 basic songs 4 times over. Either way, the album’s too long to carry such little variety.
A shame, as the best bits (the minor key tunes, mostly) are pretty good. If I was around when this came out, back when jagged guitar music was in shorter supply, maybe I’d have been a fan.
2.5
Queens of the Stone Age
4/5
Once again I question the wisdom of including a band’s debut album at the expense of their better efforts, especially when one or two of said better efforts are widely considered to be modern masterpieces.
Still, their signature sound is almost fully formed here: deserty, hypnotic, robotic, groovy, melodic, heavy, and slightly weird. A few tracks, like Regular John, If Only and Mexicola, hold up well against their best work.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
It’s not my favourite style of music but I’d need a brain of stone to listen to the music on breezy, summery numbers like Listen to the Music and Summer Breeze and not receive a sweet dopamine hit.
Also, great to learn that they are actually brothers. No idea why I thought it was just a name…
3.5
Lorde
5/5
Probably the biggest change in my listening habits over the past decade or so is consuming much more overtly ‘pop’ music, and Lorde - particularly this album - is responsible for a lot of that.
I dunno, it just pushes all my buttons. Maybe it makes me nostalgic for younger, more hedonistic and indeed more melodramatic times that were already fading fast in 2017 and definitely aren’t coming back now? Maybe it’s the sheer quantity of certified bangers, and the equally high number of emotional epics (which sometimes coalesce into ‘emotional bangers’)? Maybe it’s the seamless blend of catchy melodies and quirky futuristic production?
Well whatever, it’s my kind of pop. If Lorde’s broadcastin’ the boom boom boom boom, I’m dancin’.
PJ Harvey
4/5
Polly does it again! And by ‘again’, I mean ‘for the first time’, this being her debut. Having already scored two later PJ Harvey albums highly I was prepared to take her down a peg or two this time, but I can’t do it. This is feral, high intensity stuff with no flab. The violin helps add some rustic colour to the rollicking power trio attack.
Scritti Politti
1/5
This leans into all the worst parts of 80s pop, to my ears. Clinically produced tunes that don’t go anywhere and just leave me cold.
I don’t *hate* it, but it’s like being in a department store where the lights are a bit too bright, and there’s a perfumey scent in the air. Occasionally it’s intoxicating, yes, but more often it’s nauseating, and it all seems designed specifically to get you to buy stuff rather than feel anything.
Also, the songs all sound like inferior Michael Jackson imitations.
1.5
CHVRCHES
4/5
Good vnabashed slabs of synthpop. We Sink really slapped on the FIFA 14 sovndtrack and TMWS is a modern classic.
Just between yov and me I think Chvrches are more of a singles band - there’s vsvally a bit of filler on their albvms. But they’re also my girlfriend’s favovrite band, and natvrally there’s an extra star on offer for that sort of thing.
Meat Puppets
3/5
I think the 3 tracks Nirvana covered probably are the best ones, but aren’t they weaker without Kurt Cobain’s vocals…? I suppose the Meat Puppets version of Lake of Fire does have an added unhinged edge to it.
Regardless, this is a decent listen that sounds pretty unique. Quirky and scratchy and eclectic.
Christina Aguilera
3/5
Was the inclusion of a second Christina Aguilera album really necessary? Like Stripped, this is too long, with some moments that don’t work at all, for me. It also contains fewer bona fide hits than that album. I get the sense that her songwriting and musical ideas/concepts are just a bit… basic (no pun intended) when compared to certain other pop artists out there.
On the plus side, it’s probably more consistent than Stripped, and the classier production on this album suits her vocals pretty well (she can sing, no doubt about that). In fact, Disc 2 was mostly pretty enjoyable.
Let’s call it a 2.5 / 3
The Byrds
2/5
The generator continues in its apparent crusade to convince me that The Byrds were a band of Beatles-grade quality and/or importance, but this pivot to full-on country isn’t going to convince me.
I actually quite enjoyed these ditties for what they are, but given that they were written by others, what did The Byrds really contribute beyond a few trademark harmonies?
I’ve read up on the origin story of this album (Gram Parsons’ brazen attempt at total domination et al) and will at least concede that perhaps it deserves its place on the list as an interesting historical document.
2.5
Common
3/5
Not groundbreaking but much more enjoyable than Like Water For Chocolate, mainly down to a tighter runtime and Kanye’s production. Testify is one catchy choon.
Sparks
4/5
I only really got into Sparks around the time of their most recent album, but better late than never. They seem to me like the archetype of a band that has always, unequivocally, done their own weird thing, whether or not it aligns with current trends or commercial success. And that should be applauded, no?
I don’t know if this album is their best as I haven’t listened to most of them, but it’s pretty great - amusing lyrics and hooks aplenty. It also contains their biggest hit, which still sounds unique to this day.
4 / 4.5
Screaming Trees
3/5
I knew Mark Lanegan was more that just the guy who was in QOTSA for a bit but never listened to any Screaming Trees until now. It’s a bit more mainstream and (dare I say) soft-rock than I expected at times. Not a bad thing necessarily as the whole album is pretty decent, but I do think the darker, grungier tracks work better, and also suit Mark’s voice more.
The War On Drugs
3/5
On the one hand, I’m a fan of these guys. Their brand of dreamy, cinematic, Springsteen-meets-Dylan heartland rock can be exactly what my ears need, sometimes. Their catalogue peaks around the 1:48 mark in Red Eyes - sublime stuff.
On the other hand, the songs don’t half go on a bit.
3 / 3.5
Booker T. & The MG's
3/5
It’s very hard to dislike this. Given the consistently happy grooves and the fact they absolutely nailed their classic sound on this debut album I was tempted to give it a 4, but once again the high percentage of cover versions means that a 4 doesn’t feel quite right.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
After the first track I was worried this would just be a lot of shouting over boring guitar chords, but the tracks that followed had more colour than that. It stays the right side of the fun/annoying line more often than not.
This also appears to be a key album/band in the early UK punk scene that I was previously oblivious to, so a nice education for me.
Lucinda Williams
3/5
At times I thought this was pretty unremarkable modern country music, but I think it has just enough about it to stand out from the pack; there’s a rugged, un-cheesy quality which I appreciate. It definitely passes the ‘would I enjoy listening to this on a U.S. road trip?’ test.
The rockier tunes provide most of the highlights.
Santana
2/5
Good in pockets but mostly kinda so-so. It just didn’t hold my attention the way a lot of Latin music does 🤷♂️
The Tito Puente track was the best.
Kanye West
3/5
As hard as it can be to take seriously a man who declares, apparently without irony, ‘I Am A God’, the dark, abrasive production and intense delivery do give this album the feeling of a powerful, important statement - sometimes. On a few tracks it all comes together and feels thrillingly vital, while the desire to push sonic boundaries is admirable.
However, 90% of the album sounds kinda claustrophobic and joyless. Which is fine if every track is a hard-hitting classic, but they’re not - the lyrics often don’t match the gravity of the music.
Spiritualized
2/5
One Spiritualized album on this list seemed fair enough; two seems excessive. From what I’ve heard they’re a bit style over substance (i.e. not much in the way of memorable songs). Though to be fair it’s a pretty good style, and a few of the later tracks did suck me into their hypnotic space soup. I like the album art, too. Not enough to round up from 2.5 stars though.
Traffic
3/5
This sounds very late-60s, perhaps unsurprisingly. I agree with the review on Wikipedia which says the alternation of simple songcraft and more proggy experimentation works well (though I was surprised to see that the best of the latter, Cryin’ To Be Heard, was written by the guy who wrote most of the former). Both styles have their strong moments, among a few weaker cuts too.
Ray Price
2/5
Wow, nightlife in the early 60s sounds pretty wild.
This is a cohesive collection of (mostly) other people’s melancholic-yet-jaunty country songs, but it’s arguably too cohesive - it’s very samey, such that even 37 minutes is too long to maintain the sense of old-timey charm it starts out with.
Rocket From The Crypt
3/5
Nothing about this was ringing any bells until On A Rope came on, and even that was only vaguely familiar, so it doesn’t seem like these guys made a lasting impact on the musical landscape.
I like it though. Fun, rocket-fueled punk that sometimes feels like ska or glam or operatic rock when those horns come in.
Iggy Pop
4/5
The Passenger is in that elite bracket of songs that’ll single-handedly boost my rating by a star or two, turning an otherwise poor album into an average one, or a good album into a great one.
As it happens I think you can remove it and still be left with a more than decent record - probably the best of the 5 Iggy-featuring albums the list has thrown up so far. There are a few other great tracks on here plus some throwaway but still enjoyable ones. So if we add The Passenger back in and crunch the numbers I think the whole package is worth… 4.5 stars!
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
The first track is dark and edgy and has a weird saxophone(??) riff, so I thought I could be in for a fun ride. This sound does return on a few more songs but never quite as well, and a lot of it felt more like stuff I’ve heard before from other bands. I grew a bit weary of the vocals, too.
But all in all, pretty good. I think I’d have been a fan of these guys if I’d been around in the early 80s.
3.5
2/5
I guess I just don’t understand what this adds to the list that the previous two Yes albums that cropped up don’t.
2.5
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
I can understand why this flopped at the time: there’s no Come on Eileen 2 (or anything remotely resembling a hit), the songs are too long and dare I say it all sounds a bit self-indulgent.
On the other hand I think I can see why I made the list: it’s got its own unique, whimsical personality, mostly formed by the lyrics and the humorous conversational asides between Kevin and Billy, which I personally found quite charming.
Is that enough to make it a must-hear? Probably not, but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt.
2.5 / 3
Norah Jones
2/5
Don’t Know Why is like aural Lindor, delicious and sensual and silky smooth. There are a couple of other swoon-worthy moments on the album but more often than not it becomes snooze-worthy, especially in the second half.
So while I definitely think there’s a place for this kind of pleasant, inoffensive music, you still need great songs to make it work.
2.5
Morrissey
3/5
There’s usually something intriguing on every Morrissey album, I’d wager. Little Man, What Now is one good example: an unusual subject matter for a pop song, with a mysterious, unresolved backing track.
Yet at other times the music becomes pedestrian and the lyrics feel like stuff we’ve heard before from him. Two strong singles keep this album the right side of average, though.
3 / 3.5
The Specials
4/5
This was actually pretty good fun - more so than their debut I reckon. There are some truly batshit moments on this album (shouting Bond film titles being chief among them - because why not eh?)
The ‘Muzak’ inspired tunes sound terrible on paper but are generally much more dark and weird and catchy in practice. Along with the despondent lyrics they conjure up a nightmarish ‘trapped in the funhouse’ kind of world.
Also, hearing this album makes me realise how much of an influence The Specials were on Blur.
3.5
3/5
With its offbeat artwork and title and avant-garde Talking Heads-esque energy I should probably love this, but I merely like it. Devo really hit their stride on the central run of Space Junk-Mongoloid-Jocko Homo, and I rate Shrivel-Up too. The rest I can take or leave - I think they’re lacking a bit of something.
3 / 3.5
Deee-Lite
1/5
One star for Groove Is In The Heart. Half a star for Good Beat. Deee-Minus for the rest.
Leonard Cohen
4/5
Went into this expecting to dish out another steady 3 star rating, like I gave Songs From A Room.
Like Songs From A Room, SOLC’s sparse charms grew on me the more I listened. Unlike Songs From A Room, this album is chock full of great songs - musically, as well as lyrically - there aren’t any skips on here.
I’ll dock half a star because, despite this, I wouldn’t say I personally *love* any of the tracks, as much as I respect the songcraft, and I think that should probably be a requirement for a 5 star album. Still, a masterful debut.
4.5
The Gun Club
3/5
Blues punk (or is it punk blues?) feels like it should’ve been done plenty by now but if it has, I haven’t heard it. I think I like it, but I like it most when it’s a proper blend of the two rather than straight-up blues without punky energy, or straight-up punk without bluesy flavouring.
Scott Walker
3/5
I’ve seen Scott Walker referenced by/in relation to numerous contemporary artists so I knew to expect orchestral melodrama, but this was less dark and more show tune-y than I would’ve predicted. Then again, the more I listened, the more I realised how weird and out there some of the lyrics were for its time. Clearly an absolutely massive influence on The Divine Comedy.
I do have time for this sort of thing. Maybe not 43 minutes’ worth - I like it as something different, less so when it becomes the norm - and I should mark it down for being mostly covers. But man, I’d love to have a voice like Scott’s…
2.5 / 3
Lightning Bolt
2/5
Anyone can turn the distortion up to 11 and pummel the kick pedal, lads, it’s just most people choose to deploy this tactic sparingly, if at all.
Thankfully Lightning Bolt do throw in the occasional riff amongst the cacophony to keep it listenable.
Carole King
4/5
Stylistically it’s a bit middle-of-the-road and several tracks teeter on the edge of being bland and/or cheesy. You can imagine any one of these songs being given to an X Factor contestant to perform, which is always a bit of red flag.
But it does what it does well and I have to respect the sheer weight of hits on this album. It feels like a masterclass of ‘classic’ songwriting from Carole.
Funny to learn that the lyrics to A Natural Woman were written by a dude, though.
3.5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
So far I’ve found that, although Led Zep’s numerous big hits are naturally the high points of their albums, the supporting tracks are usually decent enough to make the LPs as a whole pretty damn solid. And so it is here.
The amped-up first half is stronger pound-for-pound but the mostly acoustic second half is nice too, and provides welcome variety.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
Millions of streams on Spotify, Grammy awards, a place on the 1001 albums list, and yet I’d never heard of Jazmine Sullivan.
Am I so out of touch…? No. It’s the children who are wrong.
Robert Wyatt
2/5
The generator has helped me to
a) discover that someone called Robert Wyatt exists, and
b) respect his unique brand of experimental fairytale jazz prog and disarmingly plaintive worldview
but I don’t think a second album of his on this list necessarily adds anything that Rock Bottom didn’t. He lost me with some of the denser instrumental sections.
There are still interesting bits though; Free Will And Testament & Blues In Bob Minor were my highlights.
2.5
M.I.A.
4/5
Y’know, after checking out two albums I think M.I.A. is starting to click for me in a real way.
Paper Planes takes me right back to my uni indie club days of course but I’m digging a lot of the other tunes too. Those I might’ve found a bit shrill and annoying before suddenly seem refreshing, inventive and fun now.
Also, why is the track with the Aussie kids so great? It makes me smile every time.
Let’s say 3.5 / 4 stars
Hawkwind
1/5
I hope there were some trippy space visuals and hilariously dated Doctor Who style alien costumes to keep the paying audience amused, as the audio alone was an absolute slog to get through.
1.5
Depeche Mode
5/5
Not every track is a 10 but it’s all good solid stuff, with some moments of real inspiration thrown in, and lots of interesting sound design too. This album improves on Music For The Masses mainly by containing 2 absolutely massive singles (or should that be 3? Policy of Truth is a banger that I’m not sure I’d heard before, somehow). Enjoy The Silence kicking in after the embers of Waiting for the Night die out is a real goosebumps moment (the good kind, not the scary kind).
It’s a 9/10 album for me, or 4.5/5.
Morrissey
4/5
Gotta say I enjoyed this; I found it more consistent than the other Morrissey albums on the list.
The music is muscular and sure of itself, and the lyrics... well, he’s always sure of himself, but this is Morrissey doing the Morrissey thing (self-pitying wallowing, self-defensive jibes, lovelorn yearning, occasional righteous anger, twisted humour and a heavy dose of sarcasm) in the most direct, streamlined way.
Dusty Springfield
3/5
Pretty good, but I'm not sure it's a stronger collection than 'A Girl Called Dusty'. It seems there's one absolute knockout track on here, a handful of strong ones, and some so-so songs too.
I was interested to see Carole King's fingerprints are on this album, having heard her on the generator recently, and also early writing credits for the legendary Randy Newman too.
Madonna
3/5
Not bad. Several tracks sound like standard 80s pop fare to me, but among those there are some highlights, such as Till Death Do Us Part. Elsewhere there are hints at interesting new musical directions, like on the title track, which is rightly regarded as a pop music all-timer.
Femi Kuti
3/5
He falls into his dad’s trap of extending every song far longer than is enjoyable, but overall I preferred this to the Fela Kuti albums I’ve heard. Plenty of infectious, high-energy grooves, underpinned by socially conscious but not preachy lyrics.
3.5
Gram Parsons
2/5
Gram Parsons’ fingerprints have been across a few albums on this list now, and his influence on the country rock genre was clearly significant. But when you’re not particularly into country rock, as I’m not, it’s hard to be anything but indifferent about this legacy. There are some nice lines and some pretty harmonies with Emmylou but overall it doesn’t do much for me.
2.5
Hugh Masekela
3/5
I didn’t really hear the ‘Afrobeat’ in this until the final track - it sounded more ‘standard jazz’ to me, which I often find drifts into the background. I preferred it to a lot of standard jazz though; its happy and chilled vibes made a very pleasant soundtrack to my leisurely walk around the block in the sunshine.
Caetano Veloso
4/5
Traditional Brazilian music crossed with summery 60s psychedelic pop? Yes please. More of this sort of thing.
3.5 / 4
Nick Drake
4/5
Musically I’d say it’s halfway between Bryter Later and Pink Moon, but in terms of my enjoyment it’s much closer to the latter. Which is to say, I enjoyed it - there are songs that are pretty, songs that are haunting, and songs that are pretty haunting whilst also being hauntingly pretty.
And with that, I guess my crash course in the music of Nick Drake is complete. I started out a sceptic and became an admirer. Thanks, generator!
The three killer singles that kick off the album compare favourably with anything in their discography, I reckon, but it kinda feels like they phoned it in a bit after that. There are lots of gentle, lightly textured tunes that did start to grow on me after a while, but they’re undeniably vanilla.
Parliament
4/5
First track I was all like ‘less talkin’, more groovin’!’ After that they duly obliged. Lots of irresistibly squelchy, spacey beats.
These guys sure put the ‘fun’ in funk; this is a rare example of the genre that I’d happily listen to again all the way through.
Suede
4/5
Most of my very favourite Suede songs aren’t on here, but there’s a high percentage of good tunes that I’m familiar with (i.e. the 7 that made it onto their 2010 Best Of compilation). The other 4 are just kind of alright. I’m not sure if it therefore qualifies as their best album (better than, say, Dog Man Star, which I gave a slightly harsh 3 stars), but I think they’re a 4 star band overall so I’ll score this one more generously. As their debut effort it had less precedent, after all. Certainly I can see why a British band emerging from the early 90s gloop with their theatrical sound and swagger would get the music press so excited.
3.5, rounded up.
Finley Quaye
3/5
Right, I’ve heard of this person, but I don’t know what kind of music he made. Ah, a nice bit of reggae. No - trip hop. No - rock…? Ok, it’s mostly reggae.
A bit all over the place in terms of both style and quality, but kind of interesting because of it. There are some real bops in the first half of the album.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
2/5
I can’t pretend that I enjoy the music (*yet*… maybe it’ll all click one day) but I still feel somewhat enriched for having heard this mythical piece of tomfoolery before I die.
What I can say with certainty is that I enjoy the album art and title very much. Very much indeed.
Sister Sledge
4/5
I’ve never been much of a Disco Stu but, with the exception of track 3, I found this whole thing to be pretty darned groovy - more so than the two Chic albums on here. Which either means it’s a very fine example of the genre, or my tastes are taking a concerning turn in my old age. Probably a bit of both.
3.5 / 4
The Bees
2/5
If this was made in a different time or place perhaps I'd score it more favourably, as I thought it was fine; inoffensive easy listening with a few nice quirks.
Unfortunately for The Bees, 21st century British indie is very much in my wheelhouse, and I feel more qualified to judge what are exceptional, list-worthy albums within that description, and this is not one of those.
A very neutral 2.5 stars
Ozomatli
3/5
A challenging listen. In the sense that it was challenging to find somewhere online to actually listen to it; otherwise these latin vibes went down pretty easily.
I thought the blend of styles worked well, except maybe the rap and record-scratch bits which sound a bit naff and dated to my ears.
It’s hard to form a 100% complete picture of the album as my YouTube listening experience was fleshed out with live versions, drum covers and demos, but I liked most of what I heard. If I could listen to it properly perhaps I’d like it a little more or a little less, but for now I’ll hedge my bets and give it 3.5 stars.
Turbonegro
3/5
At first I was expecting metal, and for the opening minute I thought I was listening to some Oasis-esque Britpop band, but no; this is catchy, hard-rockin’ punk from the US of Norway.
It’s not groundbreaking but it is good fun, and there’s a run of tunes in the first half of the album that had my rating finger hovering over the four-star button.
It does start to sound samey though and my enthusiasm had dipped a bit by the end.
David Bowie
4/5
It’s tempting to give 5 stars for Life on Mars? and Changes (or even just LoM? on it’s own) but pound for pound this doesn’t quite hit the elite tier consistency of Bowie’s next album.
Still an excellent, charming record with a good balance of melodic accessibility and compelling weirdness, though.
4.5
Basement Jaxx
2/5
Like many a dance music album, this seems like a handful of strong singles padded out with far too much filler. At the start I was enthused by some Daft Punk-esque squelchy beats, but by the end the sounds became generic and monotonous.
2.5
The Louvin Brothers
2/5
I didn’t get much out of this one. The harmonies are alright but the nasally lead vocals grate on me. Also, some of the more grisly lyrics really jar against the twee music. This style of country is a good fit for longing and heartbreak, sure, but I’d suggest it lacks the necessary emotional gravitas to pull off a murder ballad.
The Mothers Of Invention
4/5
Fair play, the pastiches of a dozen different 50s and 60s musical styles - some of which can't have even fully evolved by this point - are absolutely on point.
Creating a great parody isn't as clever as creating a great original (I mean, I’m assuming everything on here is tongue-in-cheek; I could be wrong), but this is genuinely very listenable in its own right, even after the jokes have worn off. That’s why I’m putting it above We’re Only In It For The Money as my favourite Zappa-affiliated album I’ve heard so far.
Can
2/5
Curious. I was thinking about this band just yesterday, despite having never heard their music before.
The album itself is also curious, in that, despite the tracks being really long, they kind of pass by almost unnoticed. I think there is something interesting going on, particularly in the gossamer thin vocals and airy textures of the title track, but after three listens I still haven't unearthed further treasures or really worked out what they were aiming at.
I won't give this album the benefit of the doubt with my rating but I will reserve judgement on Can as a whole, as I suspect this record isn't the most appropriate introduction to them.
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
The first Tribe album came up long enough ago that I can’t say for sure if I prefer this one, but I think I do. It’s pretty consistent and both music and vocals are super smooth (like butter).
I wouldn’t say the ‘jazz’ thing is inherently better or worse than other types of hip-hop production, but these guys make it work in a big way. The double bass-led tracks are particularly ear-catching.
Portishead
5/5
In terms of creating a consistent mood and sound, fusing film noir aesthetics with glitchy electronics to create something as starkly beautiful as it is unsettling, this is an easy 5 stars.
But in terms of songs, is it consistent enough to get full marks? I count Glory Box, Roads, Sour Times, Wandering Star and maybe Mysterons as classics, sure, but is that enough? Actually, Biscuit is pretty decent too. And Pedestal. Numb has also grown on me now I listen again…
I think I’ve talked myself into giving 4.5 stars, rounded up.
Les Rythmes Digitales
3/5
I don’t know who this is or how it made the list.
Ohhh it’s Jacques Lu Cont, of remixing indie tracks fame. That answers the ‘who’.
How it made the list, I still don’t know. It’s trashy and throwaway and occasionally annoying. BUT it’s also good fun a lot of the time, and pretty catchy.
Apparently this came out a fortnight after the Basement Jaxx album that cropped up the other day, and they feel kinda similar. That one probably had more cultural impact, but this one maintained my interest more across its runtime. They’re both getting 2.5 stars from me, but I’m inclined to round this one up to a 3.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Hmmm.
Well, firstly, the fact it’s a near-continuous suite of music, with a cohesive message to boot, is right up my street. But the music itself isn’t really up my street; it meanders in a pleasant but slightly boring way. I don’t even enjoy the 3 standout singles *that* much, really.
Lyrically, I find it well-meaning but ultimately a bit… fluffy? Probably unfair as the topics of addiction, poverty etc are heavy, and at any rate a pure-hearted ‘c’mon guys let’s all be better, yeah?!’ is exactly what’s called for sometimes. But it does feel a bit like a dumbed-down Sunday school sermon a lot of the time (or so I imagine, I never went).
I’m trying to justify scoring this higher, but then again if I'd listened without knowing it was considered a GOAT candidate, I’d probably give it three stars and move on, so…
Kate Bush
5/5
Running Up That Hill, Hounds of Love and Cloudbusting have nothing to prove to me, but I’m still left with two questions... One, do the other tracks get sufficiently close to matching this quality to justify 'classic' status for the album as a whole? And two, is Cloudbusting the best of the three?
The answer to both is: probably, just about. Some of the second half took a while to grow on me but now I think it’s all decent, and some of it’s great (Jig of Life!).
Surprisingly I think The Dreaming remains my favourite Kate Bush album so far, but it’s hardly an injustice that this is the one that gets all the praise.
4.5
Blur
5/5
It’s got a clutch of hits, another clutch of album tracks that feel like hits, and still finds room for a disparate bunch of weird, esoteric asides that should have no business on such a mainstream album but nonetheless bring me a sense of enormous wellbeing. It also distills the essence of a particular time and place (i.e. mid 90s England) in music form, as much as any album can be said to do such a thing.
Sometimes a band’s most famous and popular album is, in fact, their best.
R.E.M.
3/5
For the first few tracks I thought I could be listening to my new favourite R.E.M. album. They sounded fresh and energetic and silly, but in a clever way (or clever in a silly way?).
After that my enthusiasm waned - except for Orange Crush of course.
Traffic
2/5
Band name suggested rock, album name and cover suggested folk, first couple of tracks were... jazz? Then it became rocky and briefly folky after that. Unfortunately this melting pot of styles wasn't nearly as interesting in practice as on paper.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Heard a lot about this one. Time to finally unpeel that banana…
The last track leans too heavily on the irritating passages of noise the band chose to pursue more on their next album, but mostly there’s a good balance between raw experimentation and actual tunes. Venus In Furs, for example, manages to incorporate both pretty successfully.
Still, I suspect the actual sounds were less revolutionary than the subject matters and overall gritty aesthetic.
I’ll give it a 3.5 for enjoyment, rounded up for influence.
Miles Davis
3/5
It doesn’t engage in the obvious boundary-pushing that some of Davis’s later albums do but I must say I enjoyed this more than some of his ‘classic’, Kind Of Blue style stuff. The spiritely-yet-chilled tunes on this album actually serve to lighten my mood rather than depress me, and I do prefer my jazz in snack-sized chunks.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
Pretty good. Clearly a songwriter operating with great skill and assurance, and the album went down smoothly and pleasingly while I listened to it. I wouldn’t want to argue with anyone who claims this is a masterpiece as there are probably layers to uncover with further listens. The problem is there aren’t enough moments that really stick in the memory and make me desperate to invest in those further listens (until arguably the last track, which isn’t really representative of the whole).
3.5
Roni Size
1/5
For the first couple of tracks I was thinking ‘as far as background music goes, I don’t mind this’. But over the next hour my patience wore thin, and I struggle to square the idea that, even within the drum & bass game (admittedly not my forte, though I do like it sometimes), it was particularly revolutionary or at least the best example of its genre. Maybe I’m wrong?
The list of nominees it beat to the Mercury Prize is hilariously impressive.
1.5
1/5
Ordinarily I’d probably toss this a couple of stars for at least being experimental and edgy, but I’m not in the mood today. I’m tired, it’s late, I’m at an airport after a holiday and I just want to hear something that sounds like music. A couple of times (e.g. the final track) a genuine melody or hook emerged and I was almost suckered into giving the album that second star, but then I remembered this is 1001 albums you must hear before you die - the bar surely cannot be that low.
Also, I can’t overlook the grammatical error on the title of track 4, intentional or not.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
3/5
Well I'll be darned, that was actually a rollicking good time. Debauched and in-yer-face and playful. I found the middle section a bit weaker but this still had enough to set it apart from standard 70s rock fare.
3.5
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
3/5
This doesn’t feel like an essential or groundbreaking album, and it’s predictably been panned in the reviews section of this site, but I liked it. The various ‘world music’ style tracks went down easily, and even the ones that fused said music with eccentric cockney vocals worked reasonably well. Nice bit o’ bonus Sinead, too.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Decent collection of songs as usual, but when you’ve already got Cohen’s first two albums on the list I don’t think including his third as well adds anything. The main styles have already been covered: the minor key fingerpickers like Avalanche, the major key waltzes like Last Year’s Man and Joan of Arc. Maybe this record introduces a more raucous, ramshackle style on tunes like Diamonds in the Mine, but by and large it’s a continuation of the debut album - but without as many classics.
Missy Elliott
2/5
Under Construction, which I also didn’t love, had more genuine bangers. This one I suppose has precedence going for it, in terms of it being an early example of both mainstream female rapping and Timbaland’s style of production, which seems omnipresent these days. I can take or leave it tbh - there are some nice beats, but plenty of others are pretty average.
Also, self-aggrandising in hip-hop is nothing new, but I had to laugh at how route one the line ‘I’m su-su-such a good rapper’ is…
The Allman Brothers Band
2/5
Lots and lots and lots of bluesy, jazzy noodling. I'm sure it's great for those who like that sort of thing. Performances and sound quality seem on point, to give the album its due, so I'll bump it up to 2.5 stars.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Another occasion where I’ll relax my policy towards mostly-covers albums, because this is a good’un. It seems I’m a bit of sucker for artists’ final prehumous albums, and all the extra gravitas that accompanies them. There are songs that appear to look death in the eye with fear or regret, such as Hurt (which is somehow just as haunting as the already very haunting original). Then there are happier tunes that seem to greet the approaching end as an old friend - also poignant in their own way but much more soothing to listen to.
The song choices are good, but his voice could probably have made any song engaging.
Pink Floyd
3/5
I’ve heard plenty of references to Syd Barrett and ‘Piper at the Gates of Dawn’-era Floyd in my time, but I don’t think I expected it to sound like this. It’s full of Kinksian/Small Faces-esque British whimsy (I assume this is mostly Syd’s input) but at the same time it’s very much at the space-rock end of the 60s psychedelia spectrum (presumably at the behest of the rest of the band). Both facets have their moments, though both can get tiresome after a while.
While I’ve heard the individual elements done better elsewhere, this particular blend might well be unique, and surprisingly cohesive. They threw a lot of experimental sounds into the mix yet retained some sense of accessibility, so for that maybe this album is worth hearing before you die, at least once.
Emmylou Harris
2/5
This is at least the fourth album heavily featuring Emmylou Harris to come up, and her vocal ability hasn’t been in question in any of them. Her voice and the lush production make it a consistently listenable and sometimes enjoyable record, though for me it loses impetus after the first track.
Ultimately however it’s a ragtag bunch of covers (plus one original), so I can’t justify scoring it above a 2.5.
Koffi Olomide
2/5
I usually like a bit of African music but this isn’t doing it for me the way other albums have. The grooves are a bit lightweight, without the punch and energy that I usually enjoy, and there’s a hint of 80s pop production running through the album that doesn’t do it any favours.
Nico
3/5
Interesting to hear this shortly after hearing the Velvet Underground banana album. While some might say her presence on that record provides a welcome counterpart to Lou Reed's craggy vocals, arguably her own voice is just as much of an acquired taste. There are a couple of tunes in the middle of this that are almost dirge-like and quite hard to listen to (I think, on balance, the decision to add strings and flutes was a wise one - a song like Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams would have much less about it without them).
On the flip side, sometimes the austere vocals and simple arrangements work perfectly - like on These Days - and a kind of elegant beauty is achieved. Overall I'd say it's more good than bad and quite an engaging listen.
3.5
k.d. lang
2/5
Good voice, but this style of maximalist jazzy/loungey country doesn’t do it for me. Plus, as far as I can tell, it once again appears to be an album full of cover versions, so it can hardly have been a pioneering release.
Talking Heads
4/5
I bet this’ll be just like my previous Talking Heads album generator experiences…
Firstly, I’ll note the presence of one, but only one, of their mega hits that I already know and love.
Secondly, I’ll listen to the other 10 tracks and be a bit underwhelmed.
Thirdly, I’ll listen again, and again, and gradually the bizarre quirks of David Byrne’s lyrics and the infectiousness of the band’s hooks will reveal themselves.
Finally, while still not yet convinced the album is a masterpiece, I’ll suspect that actually it might be really rather good after all. I’ll rate it 3.5 stars, rounded up.
The only difference this time is I know in advance that’s how things will play out.
Pulp
4/5
This is a stronger album than I remember. It doesn’t contain any of Pulp’s biggest hitters but singles like A Little Soul and the title track are low-key among their best work, and there aren’t any real duds.
Thematically it’s very coherent; the meditations on ageing, decaying, desperation and the futility of it all are a refreshing change of pace for a Britpop album. It's often grimy and seedy but they still make it sound anthemic and, at times, even defiant.
Bill Evans Trio
2/5
Sounds like jazz alright.
I’m sure the musicianship is top class and the chemistry is telepathic and yada yada, but I just couldn’t help but zone out while listening to this.
I like that you can hear the audience chattering away mid-track, reinforcing my suspicion that a lot of jazz is primarily intended to be background music…
David Bowie
3/5
His most iconic album cover, but not his most iconic album - it’s pretty obvious that neither the parts nor the whole match up with Ziggy Stardust, for instance.
But it’s still a pretty good collection of songs, and it’s been growing on me with each listen. While it’s not a full-on Bowie reincarnation there are some hints at interesting new directions (jazzy piano, harder guitars, a bit o’ burlesque) that stop it feeling like it’s just Ziggy’s weaker little brother.
3.5
Kings of Leon
4/5
Could be the nostalgia talking but this still sounds pretty good to me.
I actually think their third album is better but if you were to listen to just one KoL record before you die Aha Shake Heartbreak is also a good option.
Raucous tails of debauchery (presumably - Caleb tended not to enunciate properly in those days) set mostly to southern fried rock’n’roll but with some pensive interludes. I agree with the school of thought that says Jared was the band’s secret weapon - a lot of the most inventive, melodic hooks are his basslines.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
Here’s the thing: I gave Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness 4.5 stars, rounded up, while noting it’s very much a flawed record. Revisiting Siamese Dream it’s clear to me that, at a positively svelte-by-comparison 62 minutes, this is the superior listening experience. Like MCATIS there are still plenty of nostalgia-inducing hits and glorious guitar tones, and like MCATIS it still covers a broad musical and emotional spectrum, but unlike MCATIS it doesn’t drag on and there’s very little flab.
All of which is to say I have to give SD the full five thumbs up too. And if that means The Smashing Pumpkins end up as my highest-rated artist on this site when all’s said and done, then so be it.
D'Angelo
2/5
He’s clearly a talented guy but it’s just not my kinda music.
Still, some of the more modern sounding beats were nice and When We Get By is a Stevie Wonder-esque banger, so I’ll bump it up to a 2.5.
The Cramps
2/5
I guess we’re not supposed to take this too seriously, but that being the case it’s surprisingly not that fun to listen to. Maybe it’s the production, maybe it’s the songs, but it’s all a bit samey and uninspiring to me.
Adam & The Ants
3/5
From what little I knew of Adam & The Ants before now (admittedly mainly the song Prince Charming, which isn’t on here) I’d have said it’s right that they’re represented in the 1001 albums. Their brand of wild, theatrical-but-accessible, not-quite-punk-not-quite glam seems pretty unique. And from what I’ve gleaned from TV clips shows etc, it made some sort of cultural impact at the time.
As for this album? Yeah, pretty good. All the above, really, but also I think I'm safe in saying that it references ants more times than any of the other 1000, so that’s another USP.
Herbie Hancock
3/5
Mostly fun 'n' funky jazz-fusion, if a little long-winded in parts.
The highlight was the intro/outro to Watermelon Man, which sounds like exactly the kind of music I'd expect the yellow-headed chap on the cover to make.
Orbital
3/5
Well, it’s not my favourite genre and sure enough it lost my interest a couple of times, but overall I thought it was decent, with a good variety of sounds. I enjoyed the gentler and more ethereal synths (like on Science Friction) the most.
I haven’t seen any evidence to suggest that this particular Orbital album was of great importance, so I’ll score it 2.5 stars, but based on personal enjoyment I’ll charitably round up.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
There were some cracking new discoveries for me on here (No Self Control, I Don’t Remember) alongside stuff I was already familiar with (Games Without Frontiers).
In truth, while I want to love it all, there were also a few tracks that don’t really float my boat. But because this a guy who’s usually trying to do interesting things, musically and lyrically, I’m inclined to overlook the weaker moments somewhat.
3.5
Tom Waits
4/5
What I've enjoyed about previous Tom Waits albums that the generator spewed up has usually been the gritty, grimy, shambolic and raw instrumentation - coupled with his inimitable voice, of course. This time round the music is completely different - smooth as silk and sophisticated in a way I wouldn't expect to enjoy. Somehow though, when coupled with that same voice, the atmosphere of drunken urban sleaze created is much like those other albums.
Perhaps it's because the emphasis on lyrics is so much heavier here. At first it feels like he's sending up jazz-club banter in a cartoonish fashion, but then I realised no - this is actually funny! He'd make a decent stand-up, as well as a masterful storyteller.
Will I return to this album? Probably not often. But I certainly enjoyed it, and I'm pleasantly surprised by how engaging and effective the whole thing was, as well as how unique it is among the ranks of the 1001.
Beck
4/5
Not my personal favourite Beck album, but definitely my favourite Beck album artwork.
When I was discovering his music as a teenager I bought Odelay on CD and, harsh critic that I was back then, was slightly underwhelmed. Nowadays I’m more amenable and instead of wondering why it doesn’t play out like a greatest hits album I just hear a string of enjoyably groovy, oddball tunes that are strangely cohesive despite containing a pick ’n’ mix collage of disparate sounds.
Still, it could probably be improved by inserting Ramshackle after the first 10 tracks and ending matters there, before it starts to drag.
Sigur Rós
4/5
I do enjoy me some Sigur Rós, but tend to prefer them in small-medium doses, which admittedly can be difficult to come by given the average length of their tracks/albums.
While some of their songs (on this album, Svefn-g-englar) emanate an exquisite sense of peace that cuts through to the soul almost every time, others can fade into the background if I’m not in the right frame of mind. How much I appreciate them depends a lot on the scenario.
As it happens, the sun came out for the first time in ages as I re-listened to this on my train commute through the countryside, and I was like ‘*of course* this is a beautiful record; *of course* the praise for this band is justified!’
Sonic Youth
3/5
This may just about be my favourite Sonic Youth album so far, but I'm still not falling for them like I thought I would've by now.
There are a few more 'conventional' tunes on this one compared to their earlier works, but they generally don't stand out as anything special compared to other alt-rock bands of the era. There are still some of those tedious noise-orientated sections, too.
It seems to me that Kim Gordon's vocals and lyrics are at the heart of the band's cool aesthetic and they're often the best bits too.
David Bowie
4/5
This is a top 5 Bowie album for me (not that I’ve heard all of them, despite the generator’s best efforts).
I struggle to put my finger on why exactly it’s so good - it’s not like it’s full of bona fide classics. I guess there’s just something about the sound he landed on here: raw but polished, dark but fun, robotic but funky… well to be honest I struggle to describe what genre each individual track is, let alone the album as a whole (or why they work together), and that’s probably part of its appeal.
That and the fact the title track is just really, really excellent.
4/4.5
Don McLean
4/5
This album earns its place on the list (and its first 2-3 stars) early doors. You can't really argue with American Pie and Vincent as far as exquisite songwriting goes.
In the middle it goes a bit earnest singer-songwriter-y - some nice lines and pretty melodies, but it does threaten to descend into blandness.
Happily that changes towards the end, with Everybody Loves Me, Baby providing a welcome shot of light-hearted energy and the final 2 tracks exploring more sombre - yet more arresting - lyrical and musical territory.
3.5 / 4
Jerry Lee Lewis
3/5
Pros:
- This captures the primal energy of piano-led rock ’n’ roll much better than most studio recordings. The whole genre can seem quite quaint and tame now, but this live performance from one of the founding fathers does a decent job of conveying why it would’ve been so exciting to the yoof o’ the day.
- Concise and to the point; quick segues between tracks mean the album doesn’t lose momentum.
- Jerry Lee refers to himself in the third person on nearly every track; should be annoying, but somehow I found it entertaining.
Cons:
- As with so many early rock ’n’ roll albums, it’s the same handful of covers and standards performed in very similar arrangements. Song-wise, this album offers nothing new.
- The guy, by all accounts, was a wrong’un on many levels. I usually try to keep that sorta thing out of my ratings, but it does make it hard to truly warm to this record.
All things considered, it's getting 2.5 stars. But I’ll round up purely because I did find it quite enjoyable to listen to, as far as these things go.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
Another enjoyable NY album. After the first 3 tracks I thought it might become my favourite of his, but nah. There’s some nice stuff on here but it’s only really the opener and closer that are essential listening in my opinion. The ahead-of-its-time grunginess of Hey Hey, My My, and the enthusiastic reactions of die-hard rock ’n’ roll believers in the crowd to hearing My My, Hey Hey for the first time are both album high points.
3.5
Fever Ray
4/5
This is a study in atmosphere and mood and texture, all icy and ethereal and hypnotic and robotic yet also full of (human) childlike wonder.
As a Fever Ray fan I’ll admit I tend to gravitate to the poppier moments on their next two albums rather than playing the debut all the way through, but I suspect, not having read the reviews yet, that this album will be too challenging for many and could do with some extra love, so it’s a 3.5 / 4 from me.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Props to Todd for recording most of this music single-handedly, but the songs themselves are a bit 'meh'. Four or five tracks piqued my interest (chief among them the unexpectedly great 'I Went to the Mirror'), but four or five out of 25 isn't a great ratio.
2 / 2.5
Holger Czukay
2/5
I respect the quirky, I’ll-make-whatever-music-I-feel-like-making experimentation, and the fact it sounds like ol’ Holg was having a lot of fun making it.
It’s not an album I’ll come back to, though. And do the tracks really need to be so long given they’re not *actually* soundtracking a movie scene?
Korn
2/5
Never really given Korn much of a listen before, outside of Freak on a Leash. It’s hard not to compare them to Slipknot - they’ve both got that nu-metal-with-horror-film-overtones thing going on (music designed to shock, to a large extent). I think Slipknot did it better though. Korn just seem cruder - especially lyrically - and there’s not much variety in this, other than some occasional rapping (the Fred Durst mutual diss track colab, incidentally, might be a fun idea on paper but the execution is poor - the put-downs are really lame).
There were enough guitar effects and melodic-but-grungy hooks to keep me interested but I’m not sure if it’s actually any good.
2.5
Frank Sinatra
2/5
I don't mind the blend of Sinatra's crooning and bossa nova - the smooth, sophisticated, background-music-y qualities of both make natural bedfellows.
That said, neither element on its own particularly interests me, and having already given mediocre scores to previous Sinatra albums and the Getz/Gilberto album that features Jobim (as well as some of the exact same songs), I'm not going to give the the two in combination more than a 2 or 2.5.
John Grant
3/5
No way! I was saying just two days ago that I need to become acquainted with John Grant’s music, after discovering Big Special are supporting him on tour.
I can definitely hear some Rufus Wainwright in there, and Father John Misty probably owes him a debt too. The pretty, bittersweet ballads are the highlights for me, though I also appreciate his sardonic lyrics on other tracks.
All in all, a positive introduction to John Grant. Looks like I’ll be diving deeper into to his back catalogue in due course.
The xx
4/5
No surprise to see this album crop up - I’d never heard anything quite like it when it first came out. Its sparse and icy tones provided an impactful soundtrack to what was a particularly cold winter in 2009-10, if I recall correctly.
The first four or five tracks are great. In my memory it kind of dropped off a cliff after that, but listening back now I realise I was being harsh. The second half, while weaker, still has plenty of decent moments. At any rate I’ll rate it favourably for being both highly consistent with itself and pretty different from anything else.
The White Stripes
3/5
It’s a decent enough album, containing some nice musical diversions from the usual White Stripes oeuvre and Jack White's best ever riffage on Blue Orchid.
But is it a must-hear that deserves its place on this list? Nope (seems like it's since been removed anyway). Plus, the fact they had the gall to not only put My Doorbell and The Denial Twist (basically the same song) on the same album, but also release them both as singles mere months apart, has always irked me.
Radiohead
5/5
Not long after I’d discovered Radiohead (as an impressionable teen, of course) there was a Channel 4 countdown of the top 100 albums of all time, and OK Computer was voted #1. There was (presumably) some cynicism and incredulity and general outrage from certain quarters about this result, which had a very strong whiff of recency bias about it. Even I, as a new and excitable fan, was sceptical.
But 20 years have passed, and I’m not sceptical anymore. I’ve listened to hundreds of albums through this website now, including dozens of so-called classics. Even the best of those have flaws - everything can arguably be called ‘overrated’ if it’s had enough praise - but OKC more than holds it own in such company. A great collection of songs and an even greater, cohesive album.
Iron Maiden
3/5
Another Iron Maiden record that exceeded my expectations - they’re 2/2 now, and one of the surprise hits from this generator project.
I just find them very listenable - heavy without being a racket, technical without being overly showy, and much more tuneful than many of their peers. Even the ham-fisted lyrics (half blood and hellbeasts, half prostitutes and hedonism) don’t detract from the enjoyment.
For all that, I wouldn’t describe any of these 8 tracks as outstanding, so I’ll go for 3.5 stars.
Culture Club
2/5
Karma Chameleon was a favourite of mine when I was younger so I was willing this to be good, but the rest of the album is a bit 'generic 80s pop' for me. It picked up in the second half with songs like Stormkeeper bringing the summery vibes, but nothing really elicited a reaction beyond the odd involuntary foot tap or head nod.
2.5
The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion
2/5
Initially I thought that this chaotic, anarchic approach to blues rock must’ve been quite out there for its time. Then I realised I’d misread the year of release as 1966, not 1996, and it suddenly seemed less impressive…
It scores highly for style, but less so for substance. Or, to put in another way: in small does it’s the height of postmodern cool. Across a whole album it’s a long, messy jam session.
2.5 stars
Mudhoney
3/5
One of those albums that’s difficult to judge as it seems to have multiple different track listings. Should it even be classed as an album at all? And if not, should it be disqualified from this list...??
Well, whatever, I liked it. It’s at the opposite end (the more grungy end, I’d say) of the Seattle grunge scene spectrum from, say, Pearl Jam, but the influence on Nirvana is clear to hear.
3.5
The Go-Go's
4/5
Nothing about this entry - from band name to album name to year of release - made me particularly optimistic about what I was about to hear, but I really liked it!
Just a consistently strong collection of indie-pop songs with choruses and hooks and guitars. I've not come across any all-female bands (or many bands full stop) that were making this kind of music at that time - certainly not as fully realised as this. It sounds fresh enough to have come out last week.
Deep Purple
2/5
I’ve been relatively kind to the two previous Deep Purple albums that have been generated, but I draw the line at the inclusion of this live recording as well. It contains most of the same songs, just 25% longer (or, in one case, 300% longer).
Iron Butterfly
3/5
The first half is a surprisingly delightful slice of flower power pop.
The second half is about 14 minutes too long, but I guess it needs to be to make the Simpsons joke work 🤷♂️
The Vines
2/5
I don’t think you need to hear The Vines before you die - there are dozens of better noughties guitar bands, in my opinion.
Get Free is exquisitely angsty and the rest is fine, it’s just that their songs all tend to sound derivative of a hundred other bands.
Considering I’m judging this alongside the best albums history (supposedly) has to offer, I can’t give it more than a 2.5.
Fatboy Slim
2/5
Never heard 'early' Fatboy Slim before. Some of his trademarks are there but without the really instant vocal and musical hooks that gave him monster hits later on.
First time through I thought it was still worth a solid 3 stars, but listening again I'm not sure what sets this apart from similar dance albums by less heralded names that I've previously deemed decent background music but ultimately unremarkable.
2.5
Bert Jansch
3/5
I’ve probably heard Bert Jansch’s name more often than I’ve heard his music so it’s nice to redress the balance a little. It’s hard for me to ascertain from the music and era alone that he was a particularly influential guitarist, but received wisdom suggests that was the case.
Regardless, I enjoyed the album. The fingerpicked instrumentals grabbed my attention the most, but the guy clearly also knew how to write a decent original folk song.
Dizzee Rascal
3/5
Like Bert Janch yesterday, I respect Dizzee Rascal for the pioneering influence I’m told he had over his genre. In truth I’m more likely to stick Bert’s debut on for enjoyment in future, but I’d say I was engaged by Dizzee’s roughly half the time. The tracks with more tentative, icy production (Sittin’ Here, Brand New Day, Jezebel etc) grabbed my attention the most, and provided space for his more reflective lyrics to shine.
Echo And The Bunnymen
3/5
I quite like the theatrical edge to the music these Bunnymen make. If anything they I’d prefer more of it - having only heard The Killing Moon before I was expecting the album to be more dramatic, less… jaunty? Still, it’s a lush and pleasant listen overall.
Big Black
3/5
Ah so this is a Steve Albini band is it? That gives some context to an otherwise unfamiliar album.
It’s certainly punk / noise rock in spirit but distinguishes itself from the more tedious aspects of those genres by featuring some pretty cool and interesting guitar riffs, such as on Passing Complexion.
Plus, the vocals on Kerosene sound like an early template for Zach de la Rocha/RatM. I dig it.
1/5
Eh, not impressed by this. It might be ahead of its time but it's still stodgy, uninspired rock. And there's something vaguely cultish about the performance which doesn't do it any favours.
I'm probably being overly harsh, but... 1.5 stars
Metallica
4/5
Thought this might be a Metallica album too far for me but ended up enjoying it. I do think the more melodic sections improve their offering greatly - see One and To Live is to Die. The very concept of One, incidentally, used to fill me with existential terror. Imagine being alive but with no sensory connection to the outside world… *shudders*
Anyway, some good melodic bits + good meaty riffs, and even a couple of choruses = 3.5 stars.
Seems I’ve rounded down a couple of other Metallica albums so I’ll round up this time.
Minutemen
3/5
43 tracks is too many tracks however thin you slice ‘em, but, fair play, this album managed to keep me entertained for a surprisingly large chunk of the journey.
There’s a lot to be said for keeping songs brief and moving onto the next idea before they get stale, and while there’s enough of an overriding sound (a punky, goofy, ‘slacker rock’ sorta vibe) to keep the album cohesive there are also plenty of experimental left-turns crammed in to keep it interesting.
A classic case in point is the political jazz-racket of Viet Nam, followed immediately by the gorgeous acoustic instrumental Cohesion, followed by some absurdist bluesy noodling on It's Expected I'm Gone.
3 stars, or maybe even 3.5 because I admire their chutzpah.
Daft Punk
3/5
I like Daft Punk as much as the next person, but sometimes it really feels like they phoned it in, y'know? As if there's a secret rule that all dance albums must be more than an hour long, so they padded out the good stuff with endless car engine noises.
Put Discovery on the list instead, you swines! It's much better.
Faith No More
3/5
Less ‘hard rock’ than I was expecting, though obviously there is some of that. Can’t decide if I like the vocals but they do help to create a rich, dramatic and somewhat cohesive sound, despite the mix of styles. It's definitely got something going for it but perhaps the style is stronger than the songs, which I'm struggling to recall after 3 listens (apart from Epic, which I've heard lots before and is also the only track with a really memorable hook).
Radiohead
4/5
When I was young and had never listened to Radiohead I remember seeing an indie compilation album called ‘The Bands’ that had a pastiche of this artwork as its cover, but I’ve just googled and can’t find any trace. Did I imagine it? There’s an opportunity there for someone if so.
Anyway, great album, but I feel I have give it a nominal deduction to differentiate it from their even better ones.
4.5
Suzanne Vega
4/5
I like this. It’s the traditional singer-songwriter formula but updated for the, er, 1980s (though to be fair the majority of the production sounds pretty timeless). There are some really strong songs on the second half especially. A couple of them didn’t grab me but it’s clear SV had (and presumably still has) plenty of talent and a little je ne sais quoi that the average writer doesn’t, so I found myself rooting for her throughout.
3.5 / 4
Everything But The Girl
2/5
I'm no musicologist but I'm confident in saying I didn't need to hear *two* Everything But The Girl albums before I die.
I slightly prefer this incarnation to their 80s stuff; the electronics and vocals do 'work' together. It's competently made, but it just doesn't make me feel anything.
The Zutons
3/5
I’d written The Zutons off as indie also-rans but this album suggests they were/are probably a little better than that.
It’s not groundbreaking - in fact, it reminds me *a lot* of The Coral’s debut of 2 years previous (which itself wasn’t groundbreaking, magpie-ing as it did from various well-established styles). BUT I enjoyed The Coral and I enjoyed this almost as much.
Every song is perfectly agreeable, and there are some definite earworms among them, although none are truly top-tier if I’m being honest.
3.5
U2
4/5
Another album (indeed, another U2 album) where I went in willing the whole to do justice to the highlights - in this case, Sunday Bloody Sunday and New Year’s Day, which still sound as vital as the day I first heard them.
So, is there enough depth of quality to call this a great album? Eh, maybe. I like the hypnotic rhythms of Seconds and Drowning Man and The Refugee - they all fit in very snugly with the ‘war’ theme. Bit of filler towards the end, but I guess I can let that slide.
3.5 / 4
Big Star
2/5
I liked #1 Record but it's fair to say I didn't really 'get' this one. There are some pretty ballads and, sure, there's an audible atmosphere of stark despondency that you don't hear too often. But just because the singer was tortured doesn't make the album a work of tortured genius.
Brian Eno
3/5
I can’t really give such neutral music anything but a neutral 3…
Actually, I was going to give it a neutral 2, to separate it from other albums (including other Eno albums) that I’d actually choose to listen to and get some active enjoyment out of. But then I was listening to the final track at the kitchen table and experienced a profound moment of calm that bordered on emotional. Dammit, Brian!
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
I liked Want Two a bit more. Maybe because it was my first, or maybe because it had a couple more really striking songs on it, and a bit more musical variety. The good moments on Want One aren't exactly few and far between (Oh What A World and 14th Street are the best, seeing as you asked), it's just that it drags a bit when you listen to the whole hour in one go.
The Undertones
3/5
It’s been nearly 3 years since I listened to The Undertones’ sophomore effort but I remember feeling almost exactly the same about that album as I feel about this. That is to say: generally likeable with its peppy, poppy take on punk and youthful humour, but I never found myself thinking ‘wow, what a great song!’ (although this one does at least have Teenage Kicks on it)
So while I’m really not sure that *both* albums qualify as ‘must-hears’, either one of them in isolation would be a worthwhile inclusion, as each seems to be a decent representation of what The Undertones contributed to music.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
This is a big improvement on The Chronic, I reckon. For one, there’s more Snoop - one of the most distinctive sounding (and looking) figures in hip-hop. For two, the tunes are just better, I think. More catchy hooks and good-time beats.
It still falls foul of a lot of the usual tedious trappings of gangster rap, but it’s one of the more fun examples of the genre I’ve heard.
3.5
The Crusaders
3/5
Smooth disco-infused jazz is pretty low down the list of musical styles I'd choose to listen to, but surprisingly this agreed with me, by and large: a perfectly adequate soundtrack to a bus ride on a sunny September day. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
2.5
Magazine
4/5
Yep, this floats my boat. I mean, occasionally they dial up the creepy circus vibes a little far even for my tastes... but mostly there's a good balance of punky energy, arty experimentation, theatrical grandeur and weird sounds that give it so much more life than other records of the era.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Highlights: I Want You, Tokyo Storm Warning, Battered Old Bird, that delightful drawing of Napoleon.
3.5 stars. Probably just one more killer track away from me rounding up, but I still think it’s a strong set of songs that I’m pleased enough to have heard before I die.
Elvis Costello
2/5
If this was my first Elvis Costello album of the project - rather than my second in 24 hours and fifth overall - I might judge it more kindly. After all, he’s a savvy enough operator to ensure none of his albums pass without a smart turn of phrase here or an infectious melody there.
But across 15 tracks it’s very hard to find anything that justifies putting this mid-late career effort on a must-hear list.
2.5
Cee Lo Green
2/5
I rate CeeLo. He’s charismatic, likeable and has a great voice. But I think the music on this album often lacks the personality he himself brings; with a couple of exceptions, it’s pretty generic stuff.
Maybe that Gnarls Barkley album would’ve been a more worthy entry?
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
I've heard this sound before; that widescreen, reverb-heavy thing - often just two major chords alternating at medium pace. When successful it creates a cinematic and melancholic atmosphere.
Did TJAMC pioneer this sound? Kudos if so, but I find it kinda samey when there's a whole album of it. Also, to let so much 'space' in, it seems you often have to sacrifice interesting songcraft.
That said, I didn't get bored, as such. It was a nice enough half hour of music.
2.5 / 3
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
I’m close to really liking this. There’s some sweet slide guitar and swoonful chord changes in the first few tunes that hit the spot.
My complaints are familiar ones: it goes on far too long, and the extended jamming over blues covers completely kills my interest.
Compare and contrast Layla, rightly considered Clapton’s best song: it’s urgent, concise (barring that piano outro), energetic and has a killer riff. So many of the tracks in the middle of this album are the complete opposite of that, and it’s a shame, because there are 6 or 7 others that I really enjoy.
3.5
Louis Prima
4/5
Charming and fun bops from the king of the swingers, the jungle VIP himself.
Manages to simultaneously get the juices flowing and soothe my worries, with that comforting 'warm jumper' feeling that (good) old-timey music can often provide.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
I like the sound, albeit it’s not a particularly unique sound. It’s a bit early U2 one moment, a bit Joy Division the next, a bit Siouxsie and the Banshees the moment after that - a bit ‘a dozen other post-punk bands’, basically. And come to think of it, most of those bands would throw in a few great songs to add substance to the style; only about three songs on this album made any sort of an impression on me, and I’d say those were good rather than great.
Think I’ve talked myself into knocking this down to a 2.5. Which fits, as I enjoyed Ocean Rain about half a star more.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
There are two sides slugging it out in my mind to proclaim judgement on The Velvet Underground. In time, discovering this album may be looked back on as a significant victory for the ‘Actually Quite Good’ camp and a bitter blow for team ‘Heinously Overrated’.
This is infinitely better than White Light / White Heat, and while the banana album has a greater mix of styles and experimental flair in its favour, this one beats it where pure melody and songwriting is concerned. It’s a grower, too.
Machito
3/5
‘Afro-Cuban jazz’ might be my kinda jazz, though I didn't love it like I expected to - it faded into the background a little easily for my tastes. Maybe it could do with a little more 'Afro-Cuban' and a little less 'jazz'?
It *was* perfectly pleasant background music though, and it led me to discover the word ‘Cubop’, which is nice.
Tina Turner
3/5
Hark - a new contender for the most 80s sounding album on the list!
For better (WLGTDWI, Steel Claw!) and for worse (that cover of Help - ewww).
R.E.M.
3/5
It's intriguing to listen to from a 'what did guitar music sound like *before* this?' point of view, but I'd wager the people who rate this R.E.M's best album are looking at it only from that point of view. The songs are fine but largely unmemorable, so I have to assume it's the album's (impressively fully-formed and cohesive) sound that got people salivating when it came out.
2.5 / 3
Bob Dylan
4/5
One of maybe 100 or so objectively ‘important’ albums that I’d have no qualms about making a list like this, even if I didn’t like it.
As it happens I do like it. I like the mix of worldly, political themes with some surprisingly playful, light-hearted lyrics - often in the same song.
Of the big hitters, Don’t Think Twice is my clear favourite. Timeless.
The acoustic guitar backing is generally easy on the ear, too.
The Associates
3/5
I don’t like everything about this, but I have to admire its weirdness. The generator has served up a lot of 80s pop albums and *a lot* of 80s post-punk albums but somehow, despite clearly straddling both genres, Sulk doesn’t sound quite like any of them.
A freaky fever dream of a record.
Thundercat
3/5
I've been a Thundercat well-wisher since I first heard this album.
Self-deprecating humour and goofy, oddball lyrics (with melancholic existential undertones) delivered by a smooth falsetto and set to deliciously squelchy bass? Yes please.
But he seems to meander a lot and those focused moments of quirky jazz-pop-hip-hop gold are kinda spread out. There's plenty of filler, is what I think I'm trying to say, and that inconsistent quality is why I haven't upgraded from a well-wisher to a super-fan.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
So you're telling me that not only did The Dandy Warhols release two albums *before* Bohemian Like You came out, but that somebody considered one of them a 'must-hear'? I have so much still to learn...
I mean, it's clearly not a must-hear. Nothing on here is new or particularly special. But they do at least inject a bit of their own personality, and I found it a fun, breezy listen for the most part.
1/5
Pros:
* Cool album art
* Impressively low 'fucks given' count when it comes to following musical conventions
* 'Feet Music' was genuinely enjoyable
Cons:
* Bit samey
* Kinda unlistenable
The Young Rascals
2/5
Middling 60s pop; I've heard lots of other groups do this sort of thing better. For so-called ‘rascals’ there wasn’t much mischief or cheeky humour - it was all a bit placid.
UB40
3/5
UB40 are a bit of a blind spot for me; I only knew Red Red Wine before now. Seems like they got more poppy later on but on this evidence they began life as The Specials - except where The Specials sounded like they were on stimulants, UB40 were on depressants.
Anyway, the blend of politically defiant lyrics and moody, hypnotic reggae is pretty seductive. The first track, Tyler, was probably my favourite example of this.
It's tempting to mark it down for the sheer length and repetition of some of the instrumental sections, but that didn't bother me too much, really.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
Despite Ravi’s patient lessons at the start of each track, I can’t consider myself enough of an expert on Indian music to discern if this album is a particularly proficient or exceptional example of the genre. I can only go on feel, and my feeling is that I was neither calmed, nor entranced by this in the same way I have been with other sitar-heavy records that have appeared on this list.
There’s probably a time and place where it would click more for me, but it’s not right here or right now.
Bill Callahan
4/5
This was a lovely little discovery - one that started out just ok but revealed more and more with each listen.
The overall effect is calming but there’s a tension to the music at times (the interplay between guitar and strings on All Thoughts Are Prey To Some Beast, for instance) that adds a sense of awe and mystery too.
The lyrics, meanwhile, somehow manage to sound both wise and worldly, and innocent and curious, and the frequent references to nature tie it all together.
It's an album that takes familiar ingredients but creates something a little different to anything else I’ve heard before, so I can absolutely see why it made the list.
Megadeth
3/5
I remember being quite impressed with Rust In Peace, but I was slightly less enamoured with this. Still decent enough, in that cartoonish, OTT heavy metal kinda way, I think?
It's getting harder and harder to know what I think about albums these days, tbh.
Sam Cooke
4/5
Despite (or perhaps because of?) the simplicity and similarity of these tunes there’s something I find so pure and joyous about this type of music. It kinda makes me wish I was growing up in the 50s and early 60s, twistin’ every night away.
The live setting and crowd noise gives the songs a huge boost of energy, and there’s an almost religious euphoria (without being too cultish) to the soul-iest bits, like Bring It on Home to Me.
I was also pleased to learn that Cooke wrote everything himself, rather than filling his set with covers of standards, as often seemed to be the case in gigs of this era.
3.5 / 4
Bob Dylan
4/5
Like a few Dylan albums now, I started out thinking the deeper cuts were a bit throwaway before coming round to them in time (somewhat - I still think the middle of the record is lightweight).
But the real reason I’m rounding up from my 3.5 rating is because of the classics. Mr Tambourine Man was an instinctive favourite of mine before I was even old enough to understand what good music was, or to understand that the lyric ‘cast your dancing spell my way’ was not in fact ‘catch you dancing, spill my wee’.
Oh and Subterranean Homesick Blues too, to a lesser extent.
Flamin' Groovies
2/5
A couple of interesting came out of this for me. One, I noted another Randy Newman writing credit, on Have You Seen My Baby? The guy’s fingerprints are everywhere! Two, it led me to discover the Flamin’ Groovies’ song Shake Some Action, which is rather, ahem, groovy.
Unfortunately none of the songs that are actually on this album are as good as that, with the possible exception of Whiskey Woman.
2.5
The Cult
2/5
Yeah, it’s fine, but the tunes aren’t nearly good enough for me to turn a blind eye to the fact that, even in 1987, this surely would’ve sounded like a tired rehashing of every classic rock cliche in the book.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
3/5
I don't think I've ever wanted to like an album more upon seeing the cover.
As I listened I imagined this peculiar, charming music being created entirely by penguins scraping their flippers up and down the instruments.
Dagmar Krause
3/5
This feels like one of those albums that’s on the list to represent its pre-album-era writers (Eisler/Brecht in this case) as much as its performer. Two birds with one stone and all that.
I'll admit it: I can’t see a situation where I’d stick this album on again, if I’m being honest with myself. But I also don’t want to mark it harshly.
Why?
Because it’s something different from the normal fare, something a bit challenging.
Because it doubles up as a lesson in early 20th century German social history.
Because there’s some powerful, haunting songwriting, but also an absurdist vignette about rats.
Because most of the tracks are short and to the point, not outstaying their welcome.
Because ‘Ballad of (Bourgeois) Welfare’ is an absolute banger.
The La's
3/5
I think this album's rep has been boosted by the mystique of being a one-and-done... As influential as it may have been in its era, was it really that different to what, say, R.E.M. were doing at that time? Also, comparisons to The Beatles are a bit of a stretch... a fairer comparison might be to the Scouse indie bands that followed, like The Coral.
Still, it's a solid if unspectacular set of tunes that, I can confirm, goes down well on a sunny autumn day. Feelin' must be one of the great sub-2 minute serotonin shots.
3.5
The Band
3/5
It's a shame, really, that I discovered Joan Baez's cover of Old Dixie first. I find her version rousing to an almost euphoria-inducing extent, which means I couldn’t help but be underwhelmed when I heard the original.
Across the rest of the tracks I guess I found much to admire, but not much to love. It’s a competent assortment of straight-down-the-line Americana that didn’t bore me but rarely grabbed me. Jawbone came closest.
Neneh Cherry
2/5
Well, it's got enough catchy pop hooks and irrepressible attitude to raise it safely above the 1-star dregs. Buffalo Stance is a good track.
But... it all sounds a bit naff and dated really, and the album feels like it goes on for longer than it actually does, which is never a good sign.
Living Colour
3/5
Cult of Personality will forever be linked in my mind with Guitar Hero 3 (no bad thing; what a game, what a soundtrack).
There’s nothing else on the album that matches CoP but overall it’s a decent listen. I enjoy the plentiful riffage and the metallic, serrated edge sound of the lead guitar parts.
I also appreciate that it distinguishes itself from the 80s hard rock world by exploring more disparate lyrical and musical ideas. Having said that, when it strays *too* far from rock (i.e. into fully fledged funk), I’m not the biggest fan.
3.5
The Cure
3/5
Obviously the best thing about this album is A Forest, which is a bit of a masterclass in maximising atmosphere and groove from the simplest of ingredients, but there are some other good tunes on here too, like Play for Today and M.
There are also long sections that feel more like instrumental soundtracks than songs, but I didn’t mind those either.
Guided By Voices
3/5
I have other stuff to do today so my heart sank a bit when I saw there were 28 tracks on this album.
Then it rose a bit when I saw that despite this, it was only 41 minutes long.
Then it rose a bit more when I heard delightful slices of melodic lo-fi alt rock like As We Go Up, We Go Down and Game of Pricks.
Then it sank back down a bit as the album went on. There are some nice little bits and pieces here and there but it kinda feels like a bunch of demos/intros of varying quality thrown together. Is that really what constitutes for a 'must-hear' album?
Even though I'm not sure it warranted inclusion, I am thankful that the generator finally introduced me to the music of a band whose name I've heard several times before.
2.5
The Last Shadow Puppets
3/5
Hmmm. I think the list compilers fell into the same trap that many critics did/do of thinking everything Alex Turner touches is a masterpiece, when much of it is just fine.
Owen Pallett’s arrangements are classy and the spaghetti western touches are a nice differentiator, but ultimately a lot of this side-project is pretty indistinguishable from what Arctic Monkeys were doing around albums two and three, with arguably fewer great songs.
I actually think Everything You’ve Come To Expect is the stronger TLSP album (but I wouldn’t have included that one on the list either).
Otis Redding
3/5
Cracking voice, some cracking songs, but as usual I’ll be capping my score because it’s mostly covers of already famous tunes (several of which can probably be found elsewhere on the 1001 list anyway).
For balance though I will give some acknowledgement to Otis’s songwriting chops. In addition to co-writing the peerless (Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay, the three tracks he wrote for this album are all decent (did I know he wrote Respect? Probably, once, but I’d definitely forgotten).
OutKast
4/5
Weirdly I’d never bothered listening to this album before, despite rating Outkast highly and enjoying most anything that André 3000 and Big Boi put their names to (including Ms. Jackson, naturally). Weirder still, for the first few tunes, I wasn’t really feeling it.
Then about a third of the way through - or certainly by the time B.O.B. assaulted my senses - it all started to click, and I remembered everything I love about these guys. Track after track of funky, experimental hip-hop with hooks for days, oozing with personality and a sense of fun.
Oh, and I was wrong about the first few tunes, too.
4.5
Drive Like Jehu
3/5
Seems like an appropriate album for the day we got subjected to another four years of that felon leading the free world...
Anyway I was primed to dismiss this as a) hardcore's not really my bag and b) nor are >7 minute tracks, but it kinda clicked for me. Powerful and menacing and focused and relentless, in a good way. Looks like the 3-star train keeps a-rollin'.
Madonna
3/5
Sounds exactly like the time it was released, which I guess is what I expect from Madonna (the cynic in me suspects she was a serial bandwagon-jumper, but maybe that’s unfair - presumably some of the time she helped set the trend, too?)
Despite sounding dated, I don’t think it’s aged badly. There are few standout moments but equally nothing offended me, and it’s certainly got a cohesive sound.
I’m more likely to revisit this album than Like A Prayer so I’ll give it a slightly higher score:
3 / 3.5
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
Not my first taste of Jorge Ben Jor, but this album is new to me. Goes without saying that I enjoyed it, but is it the best one to represent him on the list? The electric, rockier style dilutes a bit of the 'Brazil-ness' of his earlier work, IMO. I guess I'm pining for more of the feather-light acoustic guitar that underpins Mas que Nada and Take It Easy My Brother Charles.
Still, there's still plenty of joy to be found here, especially on the tune that Rod Stewart nicked.
3.5 - rounding up for the artist more than the album.
Incubus
3/5
Not listened to loads of Incubus in my time but I like the cut of their jib.
I mean, I can take or leave the nu-metal rapping/scratching bits, but they do a strong line in melodic, angsty rock choruses for teenagers to belt along to.
The band’s real differentiator, however, is their use of spacey, slidey, effects-laden guitar licks on tracks such as The Warmth and Stellar (as well as the likes of Echo and Are You In? from Morning View) to create cool glacial soundscapes. I’d have liked to hear them lean into this style even more.
3.5
Lou Reed
4/5
Perfect Day, Walk on the Wild Side and Satellite of Love (my favourite of the three) is a pretty impressive trio of classics to have on one album. I think they have an edge over the best Velvet Underground tracks because they maintain TVU's out-there-for-the-time lyrical themes and avant garde musicality (WotWS remains a pretty unique sounding record to this day), but melodically they're just a level above. Maybe Bowie is partially to thank?
I toyed with a 5 but I think many of the other tracks are a bit lacking in the aforementioned musical intrigue. They do however all fall back on the aforementioned solid sense of melody, meaning the album is never less than listenable.
4 / 4.5
Tom Waits
4/5
After a shaky start, Tom Waits has become one of my favourite discoveries from the generator project, so of course I’m happy to hear more of his back catalogue. It does feel like something I should maybe be doing on my own time, though, rather than taking up a 5th spot on the 1001 albums list…
Then again, fuck it, it’s good stuff. Not quite as good as Rain Dogs, perhaps, but an eloquent quote on wikipedia informs me that it was his first record to incorporate that same ‘neon-lit junkyard sonic grotesquery’ style that I like, so let’s say it’s worth its place for that.
Throwing Muses
3/5
This simultaneously sounds of its time (i.e. the 80s post-punk scene), and like it could conceivably have been released today by one of the math rock-minded indie bands currently doing the rounds.
It feels like something I should like, but there were only a few moments than piqued my interest (Green, Stand Up, Delicate Cutters) first time around. I suspect it’s a grower though, so I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt.
Sepultura
2/5
Almost all the best moments on this album are where they lean into the Brazilian side of things (Ratamahatta, Itsári - Born Stubborn has a bit of groove about it too). For these tracks I'll give it a bump up from Arise, but I still found it quite gruelling to sit through.
2.5
Charles Mingus
3/5
I found this fairly compelling, as jazz goes. It's got a good chaotic energy that elevates it above background music and a broad range of sounds I wasn't expecting - sleazy downtown club vibes, vaudeville style flute, even flamenco guitar. Plus it seems there might be some kind of narrative that runs through it...? So, high marks for scope and ambition.
For all that it's not something I can see myself revisiting.
Girls Against Boys
2/5
One of those that I didn't mind listening to, but it's hard to discern anything special about it. When its wikipedia page suggests it birthed neither commercial or critical success, nor a trailblazing legacy, you have to wonder what the hell it's doing here.
Michael Jackson
3/5
Michael Jackson's Off The Wall.
Yeah, whoa! I'll say he is. He's crazy. Off the planet. Isn't he gonna freeze himself…?
3.5
Big Brother & The Holding Company
2/5
Huh, I didn’t know Janis Joplin was originally in a band. This has more of the raw sound I was expecting from her solo work, but I guess I enjoyed it about the same - her voice is impressive but the material isn't. It seems like very generic bluesy stuff to me, with the most memorable song being a cover.
Sounds like they had a good time making it though, and it'd probably be fun in a live setting. Also that's one GREAT album cover.
2.5
Soft Cell
4/5
Well well well. I didn't expecting to be listening to a song called Sex Dwarf today. I *certainly* didn't expect said song to be irresistibly danceable.
This album is nuts - turns out Tainted Love is probably the most restrained track on it. There are lots of wacky synth hooks that, together with the lyrics, vividly conjure up a mental breakdown or midlife crisis. It's great!
Justin Timberlake
2/5
I scoffed when I saw this album come up, but then I remembered the 4 pretty large bangers on it and was willing to give it a fair crack. Señorita remains a guilty pleasure of mine, and the production on Cry Me a River is cooler than I realised back in the day, but unfortunately nothing after track 6 is memorable - and some of it is downright poor.
Also, I'm pretty sure some of the lyrics felt a bit creepy at the time, but they definitely do now.
Coldplay
5/5
Sure, they've gone steadily downhill from this point, and sure, the band name alone comes loaded with negative preconceptions these days, but I'll go to bat for this album, no problem. It's their best by a comfortable margin. Anthemic, melodic, but also with a little bit of voodoo in the rhythms and guitar parts that really suits them.
13 year old me spent his pocket money on this. No regrets. No skips.
Green Day
5/5
18 months ago I gave Dookie a semi-reluctant 5 stars (well, 4.5 stars rounded up) partially because of those classic early singles but partially because I felt it was the Green Day album I *should* rate the highest. Yes, I’d rather listen to American Idiot front-to-back, but that’s just nostalgia for an album than came out when I was 14, right? Surely the debut album, before they starting ‘selling out’, had to be objectively more authentic and better…?
Since then I’ve done some reflecting, and also had the pleasure of seeing the band perform both albums live in full, and I can confidently say that American Idiot is, in fact, their masterpiece.
For starters, it’s a concept album in a strong sense - it’s musically and thematically linked, with some excellent transitions between tracks, which I always appreciate. Ok, I’ve never been sure *exactly* what the narrative is supposed to be, but that doesn’t matter - the music tells a story on its own. It’s ambitious and cinematic but it never comes across as pretentious to me, as at its core it’s still using the same basic ingredients of punk-rock chords and pop melodies, just served in a different way.
20 years on it still sounds great to me.
Janet Jackson
1/5
If you can judge someone's character by the lyrics they sing then Janet seems like a decent, empathetic person with noble aims, but I just get so little out of the music. The production and songwriting on both the upbeat tunes and the ballads leaves me cold. I was genuinely baffled to learn so many tracks on this album were hit singles.
1.5
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
Clearly an important player in the 00s indie revival, but I think this album is a tad overpraised. Beyond the four singles, which are all strong tunes, the rest is a bit 'eh'.
I do like the overall sound though, and won't deny them their hard-earned cool points.
Ministry
2/5
Cor, wadda racket... I don't hate it! It's got some nice industrial grooves and a healthy dose of not-taking-itself-too-seriously. Rammstein and The Prodigy sound like they both took cues from this.
I don't feel like I *needed* to hear it before I die, though. Plus the vocals and more overtly metal bits don't do it for me.
2.5
Ryan Adams
2/5
I think I rate Ryan Adams less as a result of what the generator has shown me; I came in having enjoyed his 2017 album 'Prisoner' a fair bit, but this album and Gold are less to my tastes.
There are a few moments where he doesn't even try to hide how much he wants to sound like Bob Dylan... but more often he sounds less like one particular artist and more like all mid-tempo Americana ever. It's just a bit cliched musically - I don't hear any individuality coming through. There are some nice moments, sure, but it's mostly pretty bland stuff.
Cornershop
3/5
The album equivalent of the film Napoleon Dynamite.
In the sense that it’s unashamedly odd and moves at its own, excessively laid-back pace, without any obvious purpose or direction.
But also in the sense that it was more enjoyable second time round once I knew what it was all about, and accepted the above quirks for what they are.
For all that, it’s not as good as Napoleon Dynamite. But I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt.
2.5 / 3
Blue Cheer
2/5
Electric blues stripped to its most basic elements, and I mean that in terms of instrumentation, songwriting and recording quality.
Feels longer than its 32 minutes.
The Verve
4/5
The 4 singles are all classics and probably account for at least 3 stars between them, but they’re outliers in a way - the rest of the album is neither the same quality, nor the same style. Turns out the band largely abandoned the anthemic, melody-first approach that made these songs great to fall back on their old, psychedelic and slightly shoegazey style, which is alright but not nearly as memorable.
Happy Mondays
3/5
I never really got the whole Madchester thing. A lot of it sounds more suitable for cocktail party background music than ‘mad fer it!!!!’ raves. I guess you had to be there.
Admittedly this album has more going for it than I was expecting, though I did start to lose interest after a while. Also, the technical prowess of the lead vocalist is rarely a dealbreaker for me, but 45 minutes of Shaun Ryder’s dulcet tones makes a compelling case for me to reconsider that stance…
2.5 / 3
Robbie Williams
3/5
I don’t mind admitting to enjoying a bit of Robbie Williams, especially now he’s not so off-puttingly omnipresent as in his heyday. Probably my favourite boy-bander-gone-solo actually - he’s got bangers for days. This album has a couple of his biggest on it but it’s definitely uneven; he was clearly still searching for his sound and maybe trying too hard to jump on the Britpop bandwagon. I suspect a couple of his later albums would better show him at the peak of his powers, but still, it’s not a bad solo effort.
808 State
1/5
90 points from a possible 808
Jane Weaver
3/5
Very surprised to see Jane Weaver on this list. She’s not a particularly big deal even in the UK - I saw her play a modest billing to a modest crowd at a small festival this year.
Still, this ain't a popularity contest, and I can report that the motorik rhythms and airy melodies on this album provided a soothing soundtrack to an overcast train journey to Crewe.
Scores low on the ‘must-hear’ scale but reasonably well on the ‘nice to listen to’ scale.
Portishead
4/5
This one’s all tunnel, very little light. Which can make it tricky to truly ‘enjoy’, but it feels masterful all the same. The Rip stands out as a moment of aching, airborne beauty amongst the paranoid, subterranean claustrophobia of the rest of the album.
Lupe Fiasco
4/5
Not heard much Lupe Fiasco before but I really enjoyed this.
It feels right in my hip-hop sweet spot: the lyrics are eloquent and have something to say without being preachy or sacrificing humour. More importantly (for me), the production is on-point - it’s lush and catchy and there’s a decent amount of variety. Unlike most rap albums than last over an hour, I found my attention didn’t wane because I enjoyed listening to it as a piece of music.
Paul McCartney
3/5
This is ok. Some nice low-fi ditties/jams that probably wouldn't receive much attention (good or bad) if a lesser name released them.
‘Ram’ on the other hand, now THAT's an album you should hear before you die.
2.5
Dexys Midnight Runners
3/5
I didn't realise DMR were a '3 albums on the generator' kinda band, but then I wasn't born when any of them were released so who am I to make assumptions?
And anyway, I like 'em. There's good stuff on all of their albums - they're just not quite consistent enough to convince me that any of them are classics. Their 'best of' collection must be all killer, mind.
3.5
Roxy Music
3/5
I was really into this on first listen but cooled a bit on subsequent playbacks - I think I was initially seduced by a couple of bangers and the undoubted style and theatrical flair of it all. On reflection it’s good artsy fun, but not an all-timer.
3.5
Paul Simon
4/5
Probably the weakest Paul Simon/Simon & Garfunkel album that’s come up so far, but it’s still a cut above many other artists on the list.
I count Mother and Child Reunion, Duncan and Me and Julio as the three standouts, but Run That Body Down and Peace Like a River aren’t too far behind, while Hobo’s Blues is delightfully short ’n’ sweet.
3.5
The xx
2/5
The first xx album deserves its place on the list, but this one feels like a lazy selection to me. The first two tracks are good upbeat departures from the group's signature sound but I never understood the praise heaped on the rest of the album - it's decidedly average.
2.5
Calexico
4/5
This one kept me guessing throughout. There’s a bit of a mariachi-style thread running through much of it but it’s a hard album to pigeonhole, and that can only be a good thing. I found it pretty beguiling to be honest; there are some lovely instrumentals in there and a bit of mystery in many of the tracks.
Stephen Stills
2/5
I gave Stills’ debut solo album a ‘possibly-slightly-harsh 2.5 stars’, and I’m tempted to do the same here. Over the 21 tracks there were moments that piqued my interest, but there were also plenty that piqued my disinterest - especially the country rock plodders. None of it prompted any strong emotional or physical reactions in me.
Bonnie Raitt
2/5
This just sounds very generic to me. 80s pop and Americana collide, and somehow the result is blander than both of those genres. I think the fact it's mostly covers adds to the whiff of cabaret/bar-band I'm picking up.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
A very good, consistent set that focuses entirely on Cave’s restrained, elegiac side. With this release and his more recent albums providing a contrast to the unholy rackets of his earlier work, he's crafted a pretty huge spectrum of light and shade across his catalogue (hell, even within these songs he’s two parts sincere, one part sardonic).
Moby
5/5
Well, it became mainstream so I guess that means it *is* mainstream music, but the mix of ambient electronica, blues, gospel, techno and even grunge is pretty unusual. Extracting danceable grooves from these elements is one thing but getting soul and genuine emotional release in there is another. Somehow it just works, and… I dig it. Like, quite a lot really - more than I realised previousIy.
The way the second half descends into a long stretch of mostly quiet, ethereal instrumentals is also strange for such a big-selling record, and while I don’t mind those, it’s clearly the stacked-with-hits front end of the album that accrues all the stars.
4.5
Billy Bragg
3/5
Not enough of a Billy Bragg aficionado to know what his best album is, but most of what I considered to be his biggest, signature songs seem to be on his debut album, not this one.
Still, I could be wrong, and maybe this is the pick of the bunch. The first 5 tracks are great and really distill what’s good about his songwriting, I think. After that I found it a bit hit and miss, though I’m still generally a fan, or at least a firm ‘well-wisher’ of his style.
3.5
Blood, Sweat & Tears
2/5
From the artwork I was expecting a pretty dour roots/blues album, so it was a welcome surprise to hear some sprightly brass and jazz mixed in too. Even so, I lost interest during the more meandering sections.
Plus it’s mostly covers (although the best track, Spinning Wheel, is a notable exception), so I don’t feel it deserves more than 2.5 stars.
Randy Newman
5/5
What do we have here, then? More awful, reductive takes about one of history’s greatest songwriters, is it? Well, colour me shocked! No matter, my 5 mighty stars will go 0.01% of the way to redressing the balance.
Where Sail Away was a more disparate collection of songs showcasing Newman’s stylistic breadth, Good Old Boys is a much more cohesive album, musically and thematically. But it still shows him at his most bitingly satirical (Rednecks), his most beautifully poignant (Louisiana 1927, Marie), and his most idiosyncratically, irreverently humourous (A Wedding in Cherokee County).
Johnny Cash
4/5
Huh. I was mighty impressed with Live at Folsom Prison, but seeing another of JC's subsequent prison albums pop up on the list seems superfluous. This is very much more of the same - you don't *need* to hear both before you die.
That said, I enjoyed At San Quentin very much. It reminded me of what was great about ‘Folsom’: Cash’s masterful command of an audience; how easy on the ears the tunes are; and how the energy of the prison gig setting really elevates the whole thing. There’s a little more spotlight on his own songwriting too this time, which is nice.
American Music Club
2/5
If I invested sufficient time into this band, and the lyrics in particular, I expect I'd appreciate them more (judging by the YouTube comments those that like them *really* like them). However, from my two listens today I clocked three or four nice songs, and nothing that stood out as revolutionary or 'must-hear'.
2.5
3/5
Before starting this project I wouldn't have been able to tell my XTC from my ABC, my MC5, or my ZZ Top (well, maybe ZZ Top), but thanks to the generator I now can: progress! And my verdict is that XTC compares favourably with all the above.
This album's lush orchestral sound and experimental spirit remind me a bit of Talk Talk's later work, but more poppy. The experiments don't always pay off but it I'd say more than half the time the results are pretty successful, and I applaud them for giving it a go anyway.
Meat Loaf
4/5
My first taste of Meat Loaf (musically or culinarily) was from my dad's 'Heaven and Hell' compilation of Loaf and Bonnie Tyler songs. It was a great album and featured a 5-minute edit of Bat out of Hell, which I have to say is still my preferred version. Because while I'm all for epic, overblown tracks, I'm less bothered about epic, overblown track lengths.
The exhilarating moments of gloriously silly, yell-along-with-clenched-fists melodrama definitely outweigh the more long-winded passages though.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
*Surely* this 6th album marks the end of my Elvis Costello generator odyssey…? It’s been a journey of highs, lows, and mostly mids, but we’re ending as we started: on a high.
There are the usual 3 or 4 standout tracks but the rest are elevated by a winning combination of snarling punk bite and organ-fuelled pop sensibilities.
The punchy production sounds excellent for 1978 - it really comes alive played loud through headphones.
Well, thanks for everything Elvis. It’s been alright on the whole, hasn’t it?
Queen
5/5
I really didn’t expect to give this anything close to 5 stars, even after first listening to it. In typical Queen style, the ratio of ‘heavyweight’ hits to more lightweight, frivolous tracks is nothing special.
And sure, the must-hear credentials of the album would feel very different without Bohemian Rhapsody on the tracklist. But I’m starting to realise, as I did with Sheer Heart Attack, that the all-over-the-place-yet-somehow-cohesive ‘variety show’ aesthetic of their albums is as much as part of the appeal as the big singles. Who else could follow the bile-spitting Death On Two Legs with the absurdly quaint Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon?
Despite the genre-hopping, they always sound uniquely like Queen, and I like that all four members wrote songs - it adds to the feeling of a proper, democratic ‘band’ of friends coming together to make something even greater than the sum of its notable parts.
In recent months I’ve started giving more sway to the following questions when deciding my ratings: did I enjoy listening to it, and would I like to listen to it again, front to back? And in the case of A Night at the Opera, the answers are ‘yes’ and ‘yes’.
4.5
The Boo Radleys
3/5
This falls into the niche subset of generator entries that I like to call ‘albums by one-hit wonders that don’t include their one hit’.
I’m torn. One the one hand I didn’t really love any of it, and 64 minutes is awfully long for an album without a single standout track.
On t’other hand I didn’t dislike any of it - it was pleasant enough to listen to, with dreamlike qualities every now and then. I also respect the ambition and scope of the music, even if they don’t have the songs to match.
2.5 stars, generously rounded up.
Dion
2/5
Very stylish to look at. Quite boring to listen to.
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades
4/5
I don't know anything about salsa but this sounds pretty good to me.
I can't help but smile along to the backing vocals on Buscando Guayaba, while Plástico fondly brings to mind the 'vengeful Latin rhythm' of Tito Puente's ode to Mr. Burns.
The Beta Band
3/5
I was surprised to see The Beta Band on the list first time round, but that’s fine; we all have blind spots. However, I find it very hard to believe that there’s a band pretty much in my wheelhouse (i.e. noughties British indie) that released TWO of the top 1001 must-hear albums of all time, without me ever hearing of them. Surely this is a case of the editor’s personal tastes running away with them?
Anyway, I marked their other album a little on the harsh side so will at least use this opportunity to set that straight a bit. I quite enjoyed Heroes to Zeros - I’d describe it as lightweight and inoffensive, but not in a way that succumbs to blandness. The tunes are subtly inventive and often kinda catchy.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
I've listened to this sporadically over the past 20 years. I've always liked bits of it but it's so sprawling that my attention would wane, especially during the second half (though playing The Seer’s Tower at the foot of the Sears Tower in Chicago was memorably eerie).
Listening to it more critically now, I can better appreciate what an impressive piece of work it is. The instrumentation is a world away from what you’d expect from an indie album and evokes old-fashioned small/medium-sized American towns very well, and with a kind of ‘simpler times’ charm. It also doubles up as a bit of a history lesson, so that’s nice.
Despite the aforementioned dip in the second half there are some great tunes on here, of both the rousing and calming varieties, but it’s as a concept album that it really succeeds - the whole greater than the sum and all that.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
3/5
Some certified bangers, some surprising covers and quite a lot of padding.
White Denim
3/5
Genuinely thought this might be a slightly more musically adventurous Black Keys side project at first, but nope, it’s a whole new band, with their own sound an' all.
I wouldn’t exactly call said sound groundbreaking but the blend of southern bluesy/garagey rock with mathy/jazzy riffs is certainly something a bit different.
Throw in some nice dreamy melodies on the likes of Street Joy and the result is a nice little discovery.
3.5
Jurassic 5
4/5
Alternative hip-hop is usually my preferred brand of hip-hop, and this fits that bill well with some nice grooves, strong hooks and smooth, relatively SFW vocal interplay. It definitely feels like this was already well-trodden ground by the turn of the century though.
Still, it marks a second appearance on the generator for Nelly Furtado! That's got to be worth a round-up from 3.5.
SAULT
3/5
The combination of soulful vocals with stark and sparse beats, along with a timely, resolute-but-positive mission statement (plus genuine mystery about who SAULT even were, at the time I first heard it) make this a captivating prospect.
I think the album starts off really well, with ‘Stop Dem’ and ‘Don’t Shoot Guns Down’ providing arresting, slightly ominous grooves, before peaking with the sumptuous ‘Wildfires’. I find it a bit hit and miss after that, though - the energy and tension that’s been built up at the start dissipates over the next 40 minutes.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Meh. I’m all for blending scuzzy noise and dreamy melodies as a concept, and if these guys were the first to do it then that’s something, I guess. But the actual songs are so average, and so samey.
I gave TJAMC the benefit of the doubt on my Darklands review, but not this time.
John Martyn
2/5
A few nice sounds and guitar effects aside, I wasn't really feeling this; the vibes are stronger than the songs. I went and re-listened to a few tracks from Solid Air afterwards just to check that I prefer that album (can confirm: I do).
PJ Harvey
3/5
I was aware that there was one more PJ Harvey album left to be generated and assumed it would be her biggest, To Bring You My Love, or possibly Is This Desire? to bring a different, trip-hop inflected side to what the list has shown so far. I think I'd have preferred one of those to Rid Of Me, which covers a lot of the same power-trio ground as Dry (albeit rawer, louder and more downright feral, admittedly).
I just think the material is a bit weaker on this one - not sure how many of these would make my top 20 PJ songs. It's still a fine old racket, mind, and no doubt very influential.
3.5
Syd Barrett
3/5
I’ve been fascinated to learn a bit about the mythical Sid Barrett via the generator, first through Pipers at the Gates of Dawn and now this. I do wonder if this might be considered a ‘must-hear’ purely because of the artist in question and his mental state...?
However, while I don’t think it’s a work of genius it does have a kind of ramshackle, surrealist charm that goes beyond the obvious disregard for music or technical perfection. Or, to put it another way, it’s an engaging listen in it’s own right - not *just* because it sounds like the ramblings of a ‘madcap’.
When Syd sings ‘I woke this morning and remembered this song - kinda catchy’ I'm inclined to agree.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
It seems to me that the two main selling-points of this album are the unglamorous, often bleak character studies in the lyrics and the stark, surprising contrast it provided to Springsteen’s maximalist output up to this point.
It succeeds on both these fronts, but musically it can be a bit *too* sombre and austere to really make me want to revisit it, with the exception of Atlantic City.
Shuggie Otis
2/5
OK I guess? Not sure why it's on the list.
Shuggie Otis is a good name for a singer though, and Aht Uh Mi Hed is a good name for a song.
Wilco
3/5
Definitely the best argument I’ve heard yet for the existence of Wilco.
Unlike what I’ve previously heard from the band, there are plenty of unusual sonic textures going on, and some jaunty tunes to boot. Jesus, Etc. is a bit of a gem.
Talk of this being a ‘masterpiece’ are pushing it, though.
3 / 3.5
Belle & Sebastian
3/5
Again, I think B&S and I may be destined to never quite see eye to eye. Their particular brand of indie-pop just doesn’t chime with me like it does with others.
That said, I’m definitely warming to them and did enjoy this album. I still felt a little like an outsider straining to try and get in on the joke (probably because I don’t tend to understand the clever subtext to their lyrics that I’m sure must exist), but I think I managed to absorb at least some of what’s good about this band anyway.
Haircut 100
2/5
Seems like these guys' forte was a kind of jazzy disco-funk; when try their hand at straight-up indie pop instead the results, regrettably, aren't very memorable. Even more regrettably, I really don't much care for jazzy disco-funk. No matter how many sax solos they plaster over the top.
Redeems some credit for the inclusion of the lyric 'Love Toblerones' on track 10.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I'm not going to pretend I don't sometimes find Springsteen songs boring, or lacking in inspiration. The music on this album in particular might the most middle-of-the-road Americana I've heard from him (despite a couple of rare dalliances with syncopated drum rhythms), and it probably features his broadest, most on-the-nose lyrics too.
Still, I find myself rooting for the guy and searching for something to like, and invariably I find it. In this case simplicity is probably the album's greatest strength, giving more power to the earnest, uplifting refrains. The slower numbers work too, for me. I ended up listening to this a few times and found it to be both quite enjoyable and gently moving in the end.
3.5
George Michael
2/5
For an album that apparently spawned so many incredibly successful singles, I was surprised at a) how few I'd heard before and b) how ordinary I found most of them (the title track is a notable exception on both counts).
Despite the variety of styles it all sounds incredibly 80s production-wise, and that's a bit of a turnoff for me. I'm not sure there are too many great songs hiding between the synth pads and drum machines either; it definitely feels like George is the star here, rather than the music.
2.5
Creedence Clearwater Revival
2/5
This is in keeping with the other CCR albums I've heard: yes, there are some nice songs (in this case I prefer Wrote A Song For Everyone and Sinister Purpose to the more popular Bad Moon Rising and Green River, which don't do much for me), but there's a lot of quite ordinary sounding country rock 'n' roll too.
2.5
MGMT
4/5
I liked this at the time, without thinking that it would end up on any sort of ‘best ever albums’ list. But screw it, it belongs, and it holds up 18 years later. The three singles are all A+, and a large part of the soundtrack to my uni years (I remember Time to Pretend closing the original series of Skins, which seemed like the perfect pairing).
The rest of the album is strong too, full of grooves and dreamy melodies and just the right amount of genre-hopping experimentation. The downwards key change on The Youth always makes me smile.
4.5
KISS
3/5
Goofy glam from a band who walked so Slipknot could run (sartorially at least).
Inessential listening but entertaining enough for what it is, I suppose.
2.5
Barry Adamson
2/5
Before the generator I didn’t even know what a Barry Adamson was. I still don’t, really, but now I’ve heard two of his imaginary film soundtracks (I listened to this one a stone's throw from Moss Side, which is neat).
I do like the general spirit behind this and there are some cool, spooky vibes going on. Buuut there's not a lot of replay value, and I think the main argument for including an album like this among the 1001 is that it provides something different to the others. That argument falls down a bit when a similar album by the same artist is already included.
2.5
Dr. Octagon
2/5
In theory this should be up my street: cartoonish, high concept alternative rap with production from Dan the Automator, whose work with Deltron 3030 and Gorillaz I really enjoyed.
Unfortunately in practice I found it quite dull and repetitive.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Deep into a house party at uni a friend led a group of us into his room, got out his Dark Side of the Moon vinyl and we all sat in the dark listening. It wasn't 1973 (or even the 20th century) and no drugs other than alcohol were involved, but it felt like both those things could've easily been different. It was quite a trip (especially when The Great Gig in The Sky kicked in) and made me appreciate how it must've blown people away when it was released.
When I later listened to it in the comfort of my own home, what struck me most about the album wasn't the musicianship, the ticky-tocky experiments or even the strong musical and thematic links between tracks; it was the empathetic way it treats mental health and the human condition in general. The uncomfortably relatable Time followed by the warm hug of the Breathe reprise feels like the listener isn't being chastised, but consoled. I guess I like my classic albums to do a little consoling?
The Kinks
4/5
Right. So after four Kinks albums some patterns are emerging. It seems that not only are their many classic singles spread wide and thin across their discography, but their best albums are actually the ones that don’t contain any of the really big hitters.
Maybe there’s a causal link? Maybe leaving off a majestic standalone track like Days benefitted the more focused, ‘smaller’ feel of the rest of the album?
Well, regardless, there are a lot of great tunes on here - the Kinks at their most decidedly idiosyncratic, English and, well, Kinksian (with a couple of curveballs thrown in too). Maybe it’s hindsight but it seems like the concept of this album was tailor-made for them.
3/5
There’s a bit to unpack here…
Firstly, it's another album made in Manchester, so it was pretty cool listening to this on the commute past the Free Trade Hall.
Secondly, Bob Dylan has never been an artist of which people say ‘oh he’s so much better live than on record!’ So why is this live album included?
Well, it's presumably here to represent, in album form, the moment Dylan ‘went electric’ at Newport the previous year - a seismic event in popular music history, by all accounts. At first I thought this concert, some 6 months later, would be a poor substitute for Newport, but to be fair, ‘At Folsom Prison’ wasn’t Johnny Cash’s first prison gig either. And if the righteous indignation of the folk-loving public continued into ‘66 then I guess this recording could succeed as a document of that era.
Unlike Cash's prison albums, though, I don't think the occasion comes across if you don't already have the context. There's a bit of crowd noise between songs, but I had to really listen hard to pick up any boos or heckles, which seems to defeat the point a bit...
What about the actual music? The performance is decent, though some of Dylan's weird intonations (particularly during Mr Tambourine Man) grate on me here more than they usually do.
The setlist is good too, featuring a lot of his best acoustic songs and a couple of his best electric ones. If you were to listen to only *one* Bob Dylan album before you die, perhaps this would be a good shout. As it stands though, pretty much all his studio albums from this era feature on the list; indeed 11 of the 15 songs from the setlist are already represented, so this album feels more than a little superfluous.
Happy Mondays
2/5
I still don't know exactly what to make of the Mondays. There are moments when I think that the mesh of sounds they created is like nothing else I've heard, and that they might just have been touched by genius.
More often, though, this sounds like incoherent ranting over a muddy, messy sludge, made by a bunch of pilled-up chancers.
Lana Del Rey
4/5
Another slightly baffling and frustrating modern pick. For my money LDR is one of the most distinctive, consistent and best artists of the last 15 years so absolutely deserves representation on the list, it’s just that there are about 4 albums of hers I’d choose over this one.
‘Chemtrails’ is big on gentle, meditative reflections and pretty acoustic songs, but contains little of the cinematic melodrama/stately orchestral beauty/ genre-melding hip-hop beats/noirish mythologising of America that various of her other releases excel in.
I'll still give it a generous rating though, mainly because the first two tracks are among my favourites of hers.
3.5 / 4
Kings of Leon
3/5
This album marked the point KoL became festival headlining megastars, and their music started to become that bit more commercial and bland.
But really they hadn't slid too far yet - this is still a decent album with no bad tracks, just fewer great moments than their previous couple of records.
I even had an Only By The Night poster on my wall at the time, but that was mainly because I liked the owlish album art...
Digital Underground
2/5
This definitely sounds like a joke, but it's not clear on who.
At first it sounds like the joke is on Digital Underground, and this is one of those awkward early incarnations of rap, with ham-fisted rhymes and corny production that hasn't aged well at all.
Then I realised that no, this was clearly never intended to be taken seriously (as the album title should've made obvious); instead maybe the joke's on other rappers, or preconceived notions of rap... or... something.
Then, when yet another track stretched beyond 6 minutes of the same basic beat, it definitely felt like the joke was on me, the listener.
It wasn't until the track Packet Man that I finally 'got' what these guys were going for, and I enjoyed my second listen through much more.
Still a bit throwaway though.
2.5
2Pac
3/5
Well I never - Pac was affiliated with Digital Underground, who I discovered on the generator yesterday! I would've assumed he was the antithesis of their type of goofball-rap tbh.
It's also my first 2Pac album. So what did I make of it?
Well, I was engaged at the start and again at the end, when the energy picked back up, but there was a big dip in the middle. The toned down, self-reflective rhymes might've been new for 2Pac but I feel I've heard plenty do it better. And musically it's that very samey, pedestrian G-funk or R&B, which I find pretty dull.
The word that sprung to mind most of the time was 'competent', which is surely damning with faint praise, but there were decent moments. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and assume that this album doesn't show him at his best.
Jacques Brel
3/5
I'm sure I've heard plenty of references to Jacques Brel (though now I think about it, many of those references may have actually been to Bertolt Brecht, who is apparently not the same person...), and I've definitely heard an anglicised version of 'Amsterdam' before, so this is a nice opportunity to join the dots and get a fuller picture of the man.
I can't help but feel I'm missing something by not understanding the lyrics, but the music and voice is so evocative that it paints a pretty vivid picture (of jaunty western European town squares, mainly) in my mind regardless . And anyway, the audience sound like they're absolutely loving it, so it must be alright.
Maxwell
1/5
As smooth as butter, but much less exciting.
Jack White
3/5
Jack White’s quietly built up a very respectable solo discography over the years but I don’t think any of his albums are masterpieces, they just have a few decent tunes on. Blunderbuss is no different; most of the best songs are near the start, and the musical styles aren’t sufficiently different to The White Stripes to make it a particularly noteworthy release.
It is very listenable though, and I wouldn’t say there are any weak tracks, so in that sense perhaps it’s worth a healthy 3.5 stars.
Skepta
3/5
Never been fully into grime personally but I do enjoy how it mixes traditional gangster rap braggadocio with very unglamorous British colloquialisms and frequent references to people's mums.
There’s quite a lot of to like here (the run of Man -> Shutdown -> That’s Not Me is pretty great), along with some more ordinary stuff and unnecessary skits.
Not sure if this album is exceptional in itself but I remember it being at the forefront of the grime revival which was pretty big for a while a few years back, along with Stormzy. As a layman I’d say it represents the genre reasonably well?
The Thrills
2/5
To paraphrase an Irish noughties indie band: ‘whatever happened my friends, The Thrills??’
Well, they were never really my friends, but I did enjoy listening to Big Sur on a compilation CD back in the day. They’ve hardly crossed my mind in the intervening two decades though. I guess their moment came and went, and their impact on music history was not a seismic one.
The first few tracks are enjoyably breezy and melodic, but the back end of the album is a bit of a snooze fest, and I should probably dock a star for the very low ‘must-hear’ status of this album, derivative as it is.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
Whereas Run-D.M.C.’s debut album sounded dated to the point of being hard to take seriously now, this sounds dated in a more respectable, old-school-cool kinda way, so that’s progress.
I still find the purely percussive tracks a bit simplistic and wearisome but thankfully there are several tracks with more musical grooves that I can certainly get behind.
Plus, I hadn’t realised just how monumental this album was for rap in general. No question it deserves its place on the list.
Pulp
5/5
I don't have much to add to what's already been said about this one. Clearly one of the defining albums of the 90s, blending just the right amount of smarts and social commentary with humour and banging pop tunes.
New Order
4/5
I'd never heard any of the tracks off this album before, and I'm sure I won't be the first to say it... but man, does it sound like The Cure! Sumner's vocals, which I usually don't rate, even evoke Robert Smith on Sunrise, and they nick the bassline from 'A Forest' on This Time of Night.
Of course, sounding like The Cure is no bad thing, and the songs that do feature the synth-driven beats I expected from a New Order album, like Sub-Culture, also hit the spot. All in all, I'm impressed.
I've been a bit indifferent to NO previously, but this album might start to change that.
James Brown
2/5
I’m sure it’s sacrilege or whatever but I’ve never been a huge James Brown fan - once you’ve heard one funky bop you’ve heard ‘em all, I reckon.
No doubt he was a force of nature as a performer though, so including a live album of his seemed like a smart move.
I’m still not a huge fan though; musically it just doesn’t do much for me. Plus the sequencing is all over the place (one song dragged out over 10 minutes, then 8 crammed into 6 minutes?! Madness!)
The energy from the stage and the audience is good, but it didn’t move me the way that, say, Sam Cooke’s live album from this era did.
2.5 stars
Mercury Rev
4/5
I didn't know much about Mercury Rev beyond the name and Goddess on a Hiway (I always thought they were British for starters), but I'm liking this a lot. Some really beautiful, whimsical and odd little tunes. A bit like Eels, with fewer rough edges.
My interest waned at times, but never completely, or for too long.
3.5 / 4
Mj Cole
1/5
If this had ended after track 7 I might’ve given it an extra star. The tracks that had catchy choruses or classical influences were ok. The others made me feel bored and/or slightly depressed.
If I’m gonna listen to UK garage it needs to a) be less than 70 minutes long, and preferably, b) feature Craig David or Daniel Bedingfield. Which, now I see it written down, is a pretty low bar.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
3/5
My parents had this on CD! I can only remember listening to the iconic Take Five on repeat though. The rest is mostly chilled, unobtrusive background music, with the occasional shot of wacky-time-signature energy, like on the first track.
2/5
My nu-metal phase didn't really extend to Limp Bizkit - I was more into Linkin Park. I do vaguely remember all the worst people at school liking LB though...
It’s a tricky one to judge because as irritating as Fred Durst is when he does his whiny little yelps and juvenile rhymes, I don’t find the album unlistenable at all. I think My Way and Take a Look Around sound great, and hold their own against other classic singles in this genre.
It’s more that across the other 13 tracks they rarely hit that sweet spot. When they lean into a more earnest, ‘classic’ rock sound the results are a bit dull and their weak songwriting is exposed, but when they lean into full annoying brat mode, well… yeah.
2.5
Gary Numan
4/5
This is so much better played loud, I reckon, to properly let those thick slabs of sound wash over you - it's one of those that's more about atmosphere than songs. It does get a bit samey and repetitive, but by way of trade-off you get a very cohesive, unmistakably distinct body of work to immerse yourself in.
If this was released today perhaps I'd be a little less effusive but in my mind Gary Numan, along with fellow androids Kraftwerk, feels like an important and heavily influential touchpoint in the history of uncompromisingly synth-heavy music.
Radiohead
4/5
Radiohead at their most experimental and downright weirdest (I'm looking at you, Pulk/Pull Revolving Doors) - and I'm here for it.
Whereas most of their albums lead to some kind of natural resolution - some light at the end of the tunnel or at least some closure - this one weaves deeper and deeper into the dark forest, becoming, if anything, more unhinged and paranoid as it goes.
Out of the strangeness come some of their most sublime moments (Pyramid Song, Life In A Glasshouse), and also some of their twitchiest grooves (Packt Like Sardines, I Might Be Wrong).
Soft Machine
2/5
Soft Machine, Hard Work.
(albeit slightly easier after the first track)
Jefferson Airplane
3/5
Without Somebody to Love and White Rabbit this would be a fairly unremarkable collection of jangle poppers and light rockers, with a few nice moments.
With them? Well, they’re two of the defining moments of 60s psychedelia! Maybe they should’ve let Grace Slick sing more often? Just a thought.
3.5
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Similar to the previous Jane’s Addiction album I reviewed:
- I didn’t recognise the biggest hit (or any of the tracks, in this case)
- I was pleasantly surprised by the combination of hard alt-rockin’ and quirky, global musical influences. Seems like they address some pretty heavy topics too, to counteract the lighter stuff.
On the flip side, none of the actual tunes were particularly memorable so I probably won’t listen again. Nonetheless, I can see this album has something going for it.
Morrissey
3/5
I am wearying of Morrissey solo albums; my patience for the whinier, self-pitying numbers in particular is growing thin.
But after an underwhelming first play through this album grew on me. There are enough decent tracks in the first half (plus the closer) to give it the benefit of the doubt.
Nirvana
4/5
Frequently feral and occasionally pretty.
I don’t buy that it’s better than Nevermind - even if you prefer the raw production of In Utero, song for song it’s just not quite as good - but that doesn’t mean it isn't a very good album in its own right.
Talking Heads
5/5
The moment I realised this could be the first Talking Heads album that I rate 4.5 or 5 instead of 3.5 or 4 was halfway through Seen and Not Seen, which has the best lyrics I’ve heard in ages.
Batshit lyrical themes were nothing new for the band, of course, and nor were grooves that gradually permeate the subconscious, but this particular blend of musical influences does sound like it must’ve been a bit of a Great Leap Forward at the time.
Plus, Once In A Lifetime deserves to be on a great album, and even though none of the other songs (by which I mean in the world, ever) sound quite like it, the rest of the album is imbued with the same adventurous spirit.
The Magnetic Fields
5/5
Any album that's gonna take up 3 hours of my time better be a damn good one...
...ok, fair enough! Pretty much every song contained something that made me smile, either lyrically or musically - and often both. The fact I'm even considering listening to the whole thing again speaks volumes. A triumph of ambition, wit and throwaway pop songwriting.
SURPRISE FIVE STARS.
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
What marks this out as South African jazz to me is the bass, particularly on track 3 where it manages to sound both chilled and sprightly in a typically African way. I dig it. Other than that, I couldn’t really separate it from other jazz. It was pleasant background music that didn’t make a strong impression on me.
2.5. / 3
Kacey Musgraves
3/5
This album walks a tightrope. Sometimes it treads with great poise, combining thoughtful lyrics, understated production and pop hooks that evoke fragrant summer evenings. Other times it threatens to teeter into a pit of generic modern country music that sounds hella bland.
Tori Amos
3/5
Theatrical art pop in the vein of Kate Bush? This should be right up my street, and at times it is. Really memorable, show-stopping moments are relatively few and far between though, and at nearly an hour I found it quite hard work. I still like it and it’s probably a grower, but one big bona fide earworm like Cornflake Girl would’ve really helped elevate the album, I reckon.
3 / 3.5
MC Solaar
3/5
It would be easy for me to instantly dismiss a French rap album, but I think this is decent. There’s some classic-sounding, summery production and the man’s flow is pretty easy on the ear too.
Plus, there’s a simple pleasure in hearing a tongue-twisting passage of words I don’t understand punctuated by the English words ‘funky beat’.
Marianne Faithfull
3/5
This is a pretty interesting set of songs in an intriguing mesh of styles, but I guess the most remarkable thing about it is where the artist was in her life and career at the time of release.
I don't know loads about her but from everything I've heard she seemed like a fascinating, enigmatic character who had quite a life. R.I.P. Marianne.
New Order
3/5
I can't claim that I disliked listening to this, it just didn't strike me as anything special, or as good as Low-Life. The Cure-esque guitar numbers and cheap-rave-synth tracks coexist once again, but they hadn’t really worked out how to mesh them together so it doesn’t sound like two different bands.
2.5 / 3
Sheryl Crow
3/5
There's some good stuff on this album - nothing revolutionary of course but there's enough style and personality to make it recognisably Shezza (does anyone call her Shezza?).
I definitely prefer the breezy, upbeat country-rockers to the ballads or more cinematic numbers, though.
Genesis
3/5
Like Pink Floyd's ‘The Wall’, the fantastical dream sequences/hallucinations make an already convoluted plot tricky to make sense of even with the aid of a written synopsis.
I can't accuse Genesis of taking themselves too seriously, as there's humour in the lyrics, but it's clearly overwrought at times too - it's almost stuck halfway between being self-important and being a joke. So I have to wonder why, if you're gonna make the effort to create a sprawling, musically complex opus, you'd commit to making it quite like... this?
Or maybe the oddness of it all is its charm…? Don’t get me wrong, the album definitely contains some cool moments but as a whole it’s a bit confounding. And long.
Can
2/5
Most influential bands sew the seed of an idea in their music which subsequent artists water and nurture, eventually maturing into fully-grown new genres.
Can seem like the kind of influential band who sewed the seeds of several ideas at once and immediately plied them with whatever chemicals they could get their hands on, resulting in an overgrown tangle of strange new crops. It was left to future generations to hack through the thicket, find the good stuff and generally make the plants (songs) shorter and more pleasing on the eye (ear).
Super Furry Animals
4/5
Ooh I think I like this. Definitely more than Rings Around the World. Power pop goodness with an absurdist bent.
It loses a bit of momentum in the second half after the giddy sugar rush of that initial flurry of tracks wears off, but the last 2 tunes won me round again.
This album may not be a masterpiece but I can’t fathom why some of the top reviews on this site seem to hate it so much…?
3.5 / 4
N.E.R.D
2/5
Not too sure what to make of this. It’s a bit different to what I was expecting - poppier, goofier, more playful and more all over the place. But is it any good?
I think it is in places... There’s talent there, and some originality, which I rate, but the quality is patchy - it’s not exactly one of the standout albums of the noughties. That Pharrell chap might have a future, though.
2.5
Talvin Singh
3/5
Generally I liked the classical Indian instruments. Some of the electronic elements and beats sounded dated, and I found the spoken words sections a bit naff, but on the whole these things weren’t too distracting and the fusion worked pretty well. ‘Sutrix’ is a brilliantly ominous track.
‘OK’ is probably a fair assessment.
Coldcut
2/5
Well it wasn’t the nightmareish piano house album I initially feared - it’s a more eclectic mish-mash of beats and samples with an irreverent spirit, and surely an influence on The Avalanches. Stop This Crazy Thing is good fun.
Once the novelty of those quirks wears off, though, you're still left with a slightly annoying, repetitive dance record.
Youssou N'Dour
4/5
Lovely sunny vibes to compliment a sunny walk to work. I was a particular fan of the super smooth, feather-light guitar licks and the punchy kick drum sound.
The Monkees
2/5
Wait, so that girl on Marge’s school bus was wrong? The Monkees DID (occasionally) write their own songs! And they’re… not bad! Actually, Randy Scouse Git is pretty great.
Taken as a document of 60s TV popsters beginning to spread their wings and take some creative control, this is a reasonable effort. But they were a few years behind the curve; compared to what other groups were producing at this time it’s nothing special.
2.5
David Bowie
5/5
I’ve always been grateful that I heard this on the day it was released, and was immediately able to see (as the critics did), that it’s a brilliant album of weird, otherworldly, boundary-pushing music, before Bowie’s death could influence my judgement one way or another.
The news of his death undoubtedly imbued Blackstar with new layers of poignancy though - rarely has context added so much to an album. The man knew he was dying but kept it a secret from the world, thoroughly in keeping with the air of mystery he cultivated throughout his career. With that in mind, I find the last two tracks in particular heartbreakingly beautiful.
3/5
War! Huh! Yeah! What is it good for…?
Lengthy blues-funk jams that gradually infiltrate the brain, apparently (and also a couple of classic singles that, alas, don’t appear on this album).
Simple Minds
3/5
Firstly, I’ve definitely been confusing these guys with Simple Plan.
Secondly, it's not just their name that fails to stand out; I think I’d struggle to identify their music from the hordes of other 80s British pop/new wave/post-punk/whatever bands on this list.
But (thirdly) that’s not to say it’s bad - I did actually enjoy this album. And I’ll say to their credit that Simple Minds strike a good balance of having shiny, crisply produced pop songs with catchy hooks, while at the same time sounding musically sophisticated and a bit ‘alternative’ rather than cheap and tacky.
Ella Fitzgerald
2/5
This is the kind of musical delicacy I can appreciate in small, snackable doses.
Instead I got served a six course meal with extra toppings, trimmings and condiments, all the sides, a bottomless beverage and whatever was leftover in the kitchen after that.
So. Very. Full.
Elliott Smith
3/5
I don’t think this album is Elliott Smith at his very best, but there are still plenty of moments that showcase him doing Elliott Smith things well, so it’s hard to complain. I just find his voice/melodies/chord progressions/lyrics very satisfying to listen to.
It would benefit from being a 10- or 11-tracker though - I feel we’d be closer to ‘classic’ territory if some fat was trimmed.
3.5
The Temptations
3/5
This was ok. The Temptations have some good moments among their diverse catalogue and I enjoy their voices (particularly the fella singing bass), but there’s a lot of indifferent stuff too, and I’m usually wary of albums that lean so heavily on cover versions.
2.5 / 3
SZA
3/5
Sometimes I think SZA’s great. The hazy guitars and downtempo beats, matched with her plaintively honest and vulnerable lyrics, give off big ‘summer melancholy’ vibes, which I like.
But over the course of an album it does become kinda dull; there aren’t enough arresting pop moments like Drew Barrymore to keep my enthusiasm up.
Paul Simon
3/5
It’s Paul Simon so of course it’s half-decent, but this isn’t even an essential album in his own discography, let alone in all of recorded music history.
2.5 / 3
Joni Mitchell
5/5
One of those revered albums that I think deserves its praise, even if I haven’t always fully connected with Joni’s music.
The first time I heard it I expected a string of soul-baring tearjerkers that sound like the album cover looks, and sure, there are some excellent examples of those. But I was pleasantly surprised to also find a number of downright breezy, almost playful tunes like California and Carey. I enjoy the rhythmic guitar style on these - it feels quite distinct among folk songwriter types.
The songwriting is obviously the star though; the lyrics paint vivid and impactful pictures without using oblique or complex language - just unique perspectives and honesty.
The National
5/5
Good to see The National get some well-deserved representation on the generator, and it's the album I would've expected (it might well be their best but it's hard to say - they had a string of consistently excellent releases either side of this).
If I was subtracting half a star it'd be because it can be a little *too* dour at times (particularly tracks 3-5), lacking the levity of some of their other records. But they make up for it in stately, sumptuously textured anthems. The whole second half of the album is terrific.
The Pogues
5/5
Expectations were fairly high, but I think this exceeded them. Definitely passes the 'could I see myself listening to this again long after the generator has become a distant memory?' test.
A part of me worries I'm becoming increasingly blasé about dishing out maximum starage in my old age.
To that dissenting voice I simply say:
Dirrrrty ooold toooooooown, dirrrty ooold tooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooownnnn
4.5 stars.
10cc
2/5
The only 10cc song I knew previously was I’m Not In Love, which I’ve always disliked. Impressively, they managed to completely dispel the notion that they were a ‘gloomy synth ballad band’ within the first 2 tracks - turns out these guys are fun, and weird, and they rock (a bit)!
Alas, from that point on they took it too far, and some of the styles and quirks they explored in the rest of the album irritated me more than they charmed me. Even a song about my favourite Goldeneye 007 character couldn’t redeem it.
I’ll give this 2.5 stars, though perversely I have actually gained a new respect for Stockport’s finest and their modus operandi.
Neu!
3/5
All I know about Neu! is that they’re often grouped together with Can, but I liked this more than the two Can albums I’ve heard so far. They seem to have made prettier and more soothing sounds than their unpunctuated counterparts - except when they decided to go all punk, that is, but they were pretty good at that side of things too.
Eric Clapton
2/5
It’s not unlistenable or anything, but I would describe it as ‘remarkably unremarkable’. What on earth did the record-buying public (and Grammy Hall of Fame committee…!) think Clapton’s version of I Shot the Sheriff excelled at that the original did not??
Bee Gees
2/5
Does feel a *bit* strange to have two of Bee Gees' early maritime-focused (naval-gazing?) albums on this list, yet nothing from their much loved disco period.
This one feels like they didn't know what kind of record they wanted to make. Like they couldn't decide between a grand orchestral concept album or a collection of wacky pop and country songs, and never tried to reconcile the two. The result, as you might expect, is that they didn't really succeed at either.
Julian Cope
3/5
It took me a while to get my head round this album - there’s a lot going on and its length doesn’t do it any favours - but after a couple of listens I realised there’s plenty of good stuff here. I think it’s quite a successful blend of alt-rock, slacker rock, baggy, pop and numerous other genres besides.
LTJ Bukem
1/5
Eh, I don't even hate this. PFM and LTJ Bukem himself had some cool contributions.
But amongst the various gripes I have about this being included (too long; too repetitive; *much* too long) the biggest is that it's a compilation. Why not include Now That's What I Call Music 42 while we're at it? Picking tracks from multiple artists ought to be a huge unfair advantage. It's just that in this case, that advantage is wasted...
1.5
Peter Gabriel
4/5
I remember Dad playing this in the car occasionally; I quite liked it then and quite like it now. Not sure this album is the front-to-back Peter Gabriel masterpiece I was hoping for, though, despite some notable big hitters in its ranks. Like other PG records the generator has thrown up the consistency isn’t quite there.
To be fair though, several tracks are growers and I’m pretty confident they’d continue to grow with further listens. Also, who knows, without Sledgehammer perhaps there’d be no Wallace and Gromit, and what kind of world would that be?
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
Not what I expected a band called Cowboy Junkies to sound like, so points for the surprise; points also for a consistent aesthetic and a smooth, mature-sounding and decidedly uncheesy take on country music.
Points deductions for a high ratio of covers, I suppose, and also for becoming a bit dull over a long period of time.
But for all that there's a hypnotic and almost ominous quality to this - it feels like I'm listening to something that's objectively 'good', and different to anything else I've heard in subtle ways I can't quite put my finger on.
The Style Council
2/5
The Paul Weller band I’m least familiar with, and, apparently, the Paul Weller band that sounds the least like Paul Weller (for better or worse).
I was gonna give this credit for having a consistent aesthetic, but then halfway through it seems to completely flip, so it doesn't even have that going for it.
I find the cool jazziness of side one a bit tedious, while side two indulges in many of the worst indulgences of 80s pop.
Occasionally it's fun, but mostly, nah.
k.d. lang
3/5
Oh, more k.d.lang. Apparently if you're worth including at all, you're worth including twice - so many repeat entrants on this list.
At least this album is all originals, unlike Shadowland. And while I found the first few tracks pretty ordinary, I enjoyed So It Shall Be and felt the quality picked up from that point on.
Roxy Music
3/5
Probably the weakest Roxy Music album I've heard so far (which suggests they improved as time went on, though kudos all the same for releasing a debut album as well-realised as this is).
There just aren't as many tunes that really do it for me on this one, though, as ever, they've got style and an experimental spirit to fall back on, which helps keep my score respectable.
Arcade Fire
5/5
Sigh. I can only echo the despondency others have expressed about how (ahem) ‘recent developments’ have permanently tainted their enjoyment of my favourite band - hence I’m listening to this for the first time in a few years.
I haven’t come across an artist whose first 3 (or even 4…?) albums match the quality of Arcade Fire’s. I rank Neon Bible a notch below Funeral and The Suburbs at 4.5, and was planning to round down my score accordingly. But hell, listening back to the high water marks around the start and end of the album I’m not sure what more I could realistically ask for from an LP.
Madonna
2/5
I’m surprised this was such a critical success at the time as it seems a bit of a mess to me. I don’t necessarily dislike all the production choices (the heavily Daft Punk-indebted Impressive Instant is fun), but the album hops from one style to the next with little cohesion. More importantly, it’s lacking in great songs: Don’t Tell Me is the only one that truly holds up 25 years (wow - I feel old now!) on.
2.5
AC/DC
3/5
Well, it sounds like AC/DC alright. Ten big dumb slabs of ‘classic rock’, some of which are fun and irresistibly sing-along-able, and some of which are neither but somehow sound like the ones that are anyway.
Definitely not as many bangers as Back In Black.
Mekons
2/5
Never heard of this band before so there’s a bit of intrigue there, but I’m struggling to get to grips with them. Given its rave contemporary reviews I suspect there may be *something* a bit unique about this album but at the moment all I’m getting is ‘Dexy’s Midnight Runners without the tunes’. Probably needs further listens, but I’m probably not going to make that investment.
2.5
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Pre-generator I had a default level of respect for Echo and the Bunnymen, based on the couple of tunes I knew and their reputable standing in the music world, but, three albums in, that respect is being eroded - they're definitely over-represented on this list.
They seem to prioritise big walls of sounds over well-crafted songs, but unfortunately those sounds are, too often, not especially pleasant to listen to. The Cutter is a strong start but it's pretty much downhill from there.
Mudhoney
2/5
I preferred Superfuzz Bigmuff, and including this as well feels kinda superfluous.
BUT I really like the album art, so… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Ok, fine, ears over eyes. Strictly musically speaking, this really isn’t anything special, so I guess I’ve gotta cap it at 2.5 stars.
DJ Shadow
3/5
I've heard a lot of praise for this album but never listened 'til now, other than a couple of tracks.
My first impression was of slight surprise and disappointment at how a lot of the tracks sound like background lounge music. The more mysterious and unorthodox compositions (like Building Steam and Stem) are much more my kind of thing though.
I'm sure this broke new ground but I don't exactly know in which ways or to what extent. A benchmark in extensive sampling, maybe?
I'll give it the benefit of the doubt and assume it was (and to a lesser extent still is) quite an impressive feat of music production.
Led Zeppelin
3/5
Another solid effort - every Led Zep album I've heard so far contains multiple great tracks. I was gonna say this proves (if I ever truly doubted it) that they weren't just a singles band, but then I read that they never released any singles in the UK anyway, so I guess *that* would be what proves they weren't just a singles bed....
Anyway, despite all that, what I'd consider to be the 'hits' on this album aren't among my favourites (as iconic as Whole Lotta Love is), and the deep cuts seem more 'filler-y' than usual here.
3.5 (3 for enjoyment, plus a bonus half star for importance).
Scott Walker
3/5
Hmmm. I was cautiously positive about ‘Scott 2’ and was looking forward to this, as I feel there’s a lot to like about the guy.
At first, however, I was unimpressed; the slower songs in particular seemed kinda formless and never really got going. Things picked up in the second half though, with The Old Man’s Back Again the standout among a stronger set of tunes.
I’ll once again give ol’ Scottie the benefit of the doubt as, again, there’s lots to like, despite the flaws.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
2/5
I mean, I like Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, and Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker, so maybe I would get a small kick out of a band performing amped-up versions of them at a gig. Trouble is, this kind of technically proficient noodling almost always serves to make the original compositions sound worse, especially when they’re performed using the most budget sci-fi keyboard sounds imaginable.
Van Morrison
3/5
It’s fair to say I wasn’t excited by the prospect of a 90-minute live album of Van Morrison’s ‘blue-eyed soul’, and sure enough I was pretty bored at times.
I also have my usual gripes with the inclusion of lots of cover versions and live albums that feature tracks from multiple shows.
But I will concede that VM comes across as a much more charismatic performer than I would’ve expected, and on the whole, as live albums go, it’s perfectly listenable and has a decent energy.
2.5
Terence Trent D'Arby
4/5
I should hate this. It broadly straddles that pop/soul/R&B style that I usually dislike, as well as incorporating many of the worst 80s production cliches.
But somehow, I enjoyed it a lot. It's unashamedly 'big' in its approach and, crucially, the artist formerly known as Terence Trent D'Arby thought to include some infectious grooves and hooks in his tunes. The flirtation with other styles across the album (like reggae) doesn't hurt, either.
A very pleasant surprise: 3.5 / 4
Cream
4/5
Usually I’m for all for a bit of variation and psychedelic exploration, though in Cream’s case their strength was so clearly in big, heavy, squealing guitar riffs that I would’ve happily taken a whole album in that vein (Sunshine Of Your Love justifies the album’s inclusion on this list by itself). I could’ve done without hearing Ginger Baker’s exaggerated cockney tones - leave that to The Kinks or Small Faces.
That’s my only gripe though; on the whole it’s a strong 33 minutes and surely a trailblazing ‘hard rock’ (mostly) release of its era. Definitely the best Eric Clapton-featuring album I’ve heard.
Björk
3/5
I'm a fan of Björk's, and as always there are some fine moments on Vulnicura (the palpable tension that runs through Lionsong is exquisite, and the super-raw soul-baring in the lyrics is powerful too).
However, like much of her post-90s output, the admirable pursuit of weird, genuinely innovative melodies/song structures/production mean this is often a challenging listen - and not just emotionally.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
The more Nick Cave the better, I suppose, though a couple of his albums that the generator has served up have seemed like strange choices - this being one of them.
I might’ve done it a disservice though, as this is an enjoyable and highly coherent set of tunes that finds The Bad Seeds in full on ‘favela-punk’ (as one review put it) mode. There’s a small dip in the middle but overall a very solid listen.
When I saw them live in November, Papa Won’t Leave You, Henry was a raucous high-point in an excellent set.
3.5 / 4
The Pretty Things
3/5
This might not be the greatest album from the late sixties on this list, but it's certainly not the worst. It covers lots of experimental (for the time) styles and does most of them pretty well.
Also if this is really the first rock opera then that alone probably justifies its place on the list. I haven't tried following the narrative closely to be honest (they tend to be pretty tenuous anyway) but, y'know, kudos for doing it.
3.5
The Beach Boys
3/5
In my initial excitement / the emotion of Brian Wilson's passing yesterday (nice touch, generator), I thought this could almost be the ideal Beach Boys album: it's got the youthful, up-tempo bops of their early work, alongside the more introspective, orchestral style of Pet Sounds.
On closer inspection they don't do either style quite as well on 'Today!' as they do elsewhere.
Still, R.I.P Brian.
3 / 3.5
Silver Jews
2/5
This is one of the few subsets of indie I struggle to connect with. It seems like the lyrics are doing 90% of the heavy lifting, which isn’t a bad thing per se, but when the lyrics to a particular song aren’t grabbing me all there is to fall back on is some fairly insubstantial and forgettable light country.
Peter Tosh
4/5
What a load of old Tosh. Which is a good thing, apparently?
Fun, classic reggae vibes, and I learned some nifty new phrases too.
3.5, plus a half-star ‘lovely weather for it today’ bonus.
Billie Holiday
2/5
Distinctive voice, but the songs kind of blend into one for me. Plus there are quite a lot of mouth noises picked up on the recording which I found pretty distracting.
Maybe an earlier Billie Holiday album would’ve sold me on her more, who knows? But I’m giving this one a neutral 2.5 stars.
Ice Cube
3/5
Negatives: Like many a rap album, it’s too long, and there isn’t enough variation or musicality in the beats to keep the ears interested over that time.
Positives: That said, the production still has more going for it than the likes of Straight Outta Compton. Plus, Cube is just a very good rapper: nice phrasing, easy to listen to, and his lyrics contain a good blend of politics, humour, and of course ‘gangster shit’.
Also, I found out today that he coined the phrase ‘it’s on like Donkey Kong’, which I never really thought made much sense but has had impressive cultural reach regardless.
2/5
Possibly the most country album I’ve ever heard.
Björk
3/5
I see we’re gradually inching back in time towards the best Björk albums, but we’re not quite there yet. Vespertine’s got plenty of pretty moments and creates a unique sonic atmosphere that’s both icy and cosy, like being tucked up in bed inside a centrally heated igloo.
However, like ice sculptures melting (probably due to the central heating), some of the songs are guilty of lapsing into a formless mush, especially during the less memorable second half of the record.
3.5
Jungle Brothers
3/5
I wasn't feeling this at first; no doubt I'm a bit jaded by all the golden age hip-hop albums on this list and couldn't see what this one does that all the others don't.
That was probably a bit unfair though - if this was album #8 rather than #988 I might've been more excited by it, as it's similar to a lot of the hip-hop I enjoy. I'll give it the benefit of the doubt.
Todd Rundgren
2/5
Since learning the name Todd Rundgren a year ago I've developed a level of respect for the guy: for being a bit of a one-man band/production team; for experimenting with sounds and genres; for treating the album as an art form; for taking a chance on Sparks.
But I just can't really connect with his music, beyond the occasional 'that's nice' moment.
2.5
Rahul Dev Burman
3/5
I read the synopsis of the film and it's wild. I can certainly imagine this soundtrack doing a pretty good job of complimenting its exotic thrills and chaotic twists.
Brian Eno
4/5
First time through this didn’t capture me the way other Eno albums have, but after further listens that changed. The first side is great chaotic fun and clearly foreshadows the work he’d do with Talking Heads. Side two is less memorable but still rather pretty.
I would say I’m becoming an Enophile, but apparently that’s a wine connoisseur. Something which I am not.
Tito Puente
3/5
Pretty enjoyable stuff. Threatened to get a bit samey at times but the Marimba-fuelled Hong Kong Mambo was a delightful tonal shift.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
3/5
A definite improvement on CSN’s debut. This has a bit more about it, with strong contributions from Nash, in particular, and Young. Doesn’t contain enough great songs to be considered a classic though.
Amy Winehouse
2/5
When it came up the cynic in me suspected this particular Amy Winehouse album was included on the strength of the artist’s reputation alone. After listening a few times I still can’t decide if that’s true… but I think it probably is.
On the one hand, there’s definitely talent here, and a handful of tracks hooked me in (like the double-header of Help Yourself and Amy Amy Amy). On the other hand, it really does get quite samey very quickly, and a lot of the production and lyrical themes are pretty bland.
2.5
XTC
3/5
I enjoyed how the album flows together and the sense of life and colour emanating from it. But I’d struggle to name one track I really love, despite all that.
From the two XTC albums I’ve heard now I conclude that I generally like their ideas, but not necessarily their execution. Or maybe I like their style, but not their substance?
Wild Beasts
4/5
Wasn’t expecting to see Wild Beasts here, but it’s a pleasant surprise. They were one of the more interesting indie bands of the era, blessed with not one but two highly distinctive vocalists and a kind of enchanted-forest mystery to their sound.
Perhaps they never recorded an end-to-end masterpiece but this is probably their most consistent effort, featuring a trio of great singles plus interesting textures and rhythms throughout.
3/5
I don’t know the band, but found this album perfectly adequate to listen to. Do the songs alone justify its inclusion on this list? Possibly not. Were they pioneering or influential enough to warrant selection that way? I’ve no idea, but Alt-J’s Left Hand Free appears to almost borrow a short vocal hook from Animal Zoo, so that’s something…
Just very pedestrian.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
At its best this is good, solid, melodic mid-60s guitar pop. It's less successful when it strays into uninspiring blues rock or slightly odd sentimental numbers.
2.5 / 3
Van Halen
3/5
It's hardly my preferred flavour of rock, and I'm in no rush to listen to it again (that Kinks cover... it's not *bad* as such, it's just... what was the point?), BUT there are some good moments - catchy choruses and (naturally) tasty guitar parts and such.
Definitely feels like the blueprint for 80s hair metal, which is a dubious claim to fame, but I'll give this the benefit of the doubt and say instead that it's a decent debut album in isolation.
Sex Pistols
4/5
Tricky one to score. On influence and ‘importance’ alone it's an easy 5 stars - it would probably qualify for ’11 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die’ - but is it any good, out of context?
Musically it’s better than I expected. Basic and samey, yes, but not unlistenable at all; Submission, in particular, is surprisingly groovy, Lydon’s rolled ‘R’s are delightfully sardonic.
Lyrically, I’m not convinced - it’s less righteous anger and more contemptuous nihilism. Maybe that’s part of the reason I still find the Sex Pistols quite unlikeable. But then again, I guess ruffling feathers was always exactly the point. Mission accomplished, then.
Hot Chip
4/5
Fair enough - I think there should be a place for Hot Chip’s quirky nerd-pop in the 1001, especially given some of the dubious repeat entrants we've had so far. Admittedly I do consider them more of a singles band, and In Our Heads isn't even packed with their biggest hits… It does however contain one of their best in the form of the constantly-building Flutes. Look At Where We are and Let Me Be Him are also high points. Heck, it’s pretty consistently enjoyable throughout. Perhaps it really is their best album, as a whole.
3.5 stars; it’s clearly not an all-timer, but I’ll round up because I’m a fan of the band (and because it’s just generally good, danceable fun).
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
I really want to love this because I like the idea of it (the trailblazing redeployment of the guitar, the dreamy-fuzzy sounds) a lot, and when it works it really works.
Of course, the pitfalls of throwing so much paint (sounds) at the wall (tape machine) are that sometimes you’re left with a mess, and other times all the colours (sounds) just merge into a kind of dull brown (bland noise). MBV fall into both pits, occasionally, but more often than not the result is something quite arty and cool-sounding - the hit rate is much higher than their debut album.
Personally I still think Cocteau Twins did it better when it comes to dream pop, but I’ll give these guys A for effort and B- for attainment, which I think comes out at… 3.5 / 4 stars.
Django Django
4/5
A band that passed me by at the time, but this album was worth discovering, belatedly.
I thought it was very listenable throughout, with accessible, hummable hooks, a subtle but effective experimental streak, and a sound that belongs somewhere between the desert and the jungle. It reminds me a lot of Beck at times.
In the grand scheme of things I feel I should cap this at 3.5 stars, because there's nothing here that hadn't kinda been done before, and because there aren't any stone-cold-classic tracks. But for overall enjoyment I'll round up. Let's keep this 4* train rollin', baby!!!
Aretha Franklin
4/5
I usually have more respect than affection for this type of music, but I did enjoy this one. A nice blend of vocal power and more chilled backing tracks that goes down easily. Do Right Woman, Do Right Man was particularly easy on the ear.
Nice to see a few more Aretha-penned tracks on here than on Lady Soul, among the usual reliance on covers (my respect for Sam Cooke’s talents continues to rise, incidentally).
3.5
The Clash
5/5
I knew The Clash evolved their sound over the years, but was surprised by how little of this particular album sounded like 'punk'. The pent-up tension of the title track actually seems like a bit of an outlier on the record (and in general, really - nobody's recorded a song *quite* like it), both musically and lyrically.
Still, whatever styles they used, the first disc slaps - it's a 5* collection of bangers.
The second half isn't quite as strong, but it does seem to be growing on me (and Train in Vain is a corking closer). I definitely understand the amount praise for this album, even if it's not for the exact reasons I was expecting.
4.5
Adele
3/5
Any album that sells this many copies a) justifies its place on this list and, dare I say, b) probably has something going for it. I think the more rocky/bluesy style of Rolling In The Deep and Rumour Has It is a success, and it’s easy to see why the stripped-back pathos of Someone Like You has become a classic.
But between these two ends of the spectrum there are plenty of tracks on 21 that neither provide vengeful drama nor tug on the heartstrings - they’re just pretty bland.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Yeah, fine, but how on earth is this an album you must hear before you die? You get to hear the best version of neither the Rolling Stones nor the songs they're covering.
Violent Femmes
3/5
Not outstanding but pretty good, and it has a kind of 'acoustic punk' sound to down to a T. That whole quirky, lo-fi DIY aesthetic sounds 10 years ahead of its time too.
Black Sabbath
3/5
Half of this sounds very much like hard blues rock, the kind Led Zep, Cream and others had already tried their hand at. There are some nice grooves but nothing too memorable, song-wise - it mostly just passed me by in the background.
But I don't want to focus on the negatives on this day of Ozzy-mourning; there are a few aspects that are very recognizably 'heavy metal', so even if this album doesn't fully fit that genre IMO, it's clear to see how it would've birthed it. Which is pretty neat for 12 hours work by four lads from Birmingham.
Also, it contains a rare but satisfying instance of a track, album and band name all being exactly the same.
Goldfrapp
2/5
I really don't think Goldfrapp are a 'two albums on the generator' kinda group - I find their music is usually good but rarely great. And so it is here.
Clowns was a very promising opener but after that it drifts a bit - some nice airy textures, but quite lightweight.
2.5
Badly Drawn Boy
3/5
Maybe doesn't need to be quite as long as it is but there's probably 45 minutes of good, solid stuff here. Very singer-songwriter-y but at the same time richly produced with a nice mix of styles.
The Dictators
2/5
Kinda fun but kinda forgettable: 2.5 stars.
Perhaps I should round up because of the release date - this must've been an early influence on punk rock in general and in particular that strand of punk (especially big in the 90s/00s) that leaned heavily on puerile, adolescent humour. But I won't.
The Sabres Of Paradise
2/5
Sometimes it felt like this album was daring me to give it 1 star: the long, repetitive tracks that don’t go anywhere; the gruelling 80 minute runtime; the bits that barely qualify as music at all - just simple looping sounds.
Yet, just enough of the time, a spooky little groove got under my skin and my feet started a-tappin’. I think many genres of music could be improved by being ‘haunted’, come to think of it.
1.5 / 2
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
The only previous time I’ve listened to Electric Ladyland was years ago when my dad played it in the car, presumably for the first time in a while. I don’t remember the music but I do remember that when it finished he said something like: ‘I’d forgotten how much rubbish there is on this, until the last two tracks’.
Evaluating it properly for myself now, my first reaction was ‘whoa, that’s a bit harsh on Crosstown Traffic, Dad!’ But aside those three classics, maybe he had a point. There's some nice stuff, some indifferent stuff, and some downright self-indulgent stuff.
3 / 3.5
Ice Cube
2/5
I've given Ice Cube praise on previous reviews but my patience ran out with this one. Never rated the Bomb Squad's production style and I didn't find too much to admire in Cube's lyrics on this occasion.
Giant Sand
2/5
All chore, no enchantment, hehe...
Damn, somebody else thought of it first. Point stands though: this is pretty drab stuff.
Steely Dan
4/5
Well then. Literally 1001 albums after the generator churned out my first Steely Dan record, I finally get a really good one. Do It Again is a fantastic track, and most of the rest of the album does it justice. Seems they nailed their brand of sophisticated soft-rock on album one, then proceeded to become too jazzy for my tastes.
Supergrass
5/5
The best time to be presented with this album would’ve been 3 months ago when I went to see Supergrass perform it in full, but there’s never a bad time, really. It’s a sugar-rush of joyful power-pop that plays like a greatest hits collection, and oozes the kind of youthfulness that can only come from a band that were legitimately young at the time they made it. At the same time the music is just smart and grown-up enough to be interesting, without coming across smug or self-important.
Are Supergrass one of the best or most important bands in history? No. But did they release two absolutely corking albums that surpass most of the rest of this list for pure fun? You betcha.
4.5 / 5
Richard Thompson
4/5
Now this is decent timing, generator. I saw RT two days ago, and he played a couple of songs from this album.
I personally think the best was still to come from him, as a solo artist; listening to this it’s clear how much his voice matures later on, and how he’d lean into the ‘rock’ side of folk-rock much more with later releases (this sounds quite distinctly and quaintly ‘folk’ throughout - though that’s no slight, just not my personal preference.)
But I recognise that his early stuff with Linda and Fairport were more influential than any of his solo albums and IWTATBLT is rightly considered a classic. The songwriting is, as always, masterful, and Linda’s voice adds a haunting quality to many tracks - especially The Great Valerio.
4.5
Radiohead
5/5
I’d suggest it’s this album and the gamble it represented - the artistic u-turn at the peak of their commercial powers - that ultimately secured Radiohead’s enduring status as critical darlings and global megastars for the next quarter of a century and counting.
But I didn’t properly discover the band until about 2005, so why do I like it so much? I think it’s something to do with atmosphere, and world-building; I find most Radiohead albums, but especially this one, feel like journeying through another, fully-realised dimension for 45 minutes. You get tracks as exquisitely twisted as The National Anthem and as hauntingly beautiful as HTDC back to back, but somehow they feel like perfectly natural steps through this paranoid parallel world - the sounds all seem to belong to the same realm, and not listening to the whole album in sequence feels strange.
It probably meant more to me as an impressionable teen but I’m still very fond of it.
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
"I prefer boysenberry more than any ordinary jam
I'm a "Citizens for Boysenberry Jam" fan"
The defence rests, your honour.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
On the one hand I think this is a pretty well-realised attempt at 60s psychedelia. The trippy effects and the dark and/or twisted energy are all present and correct.
On the other hand, there’s something I find a bit uninspiring about it, like they were going through the motions somewhat. I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt though.
The Residents
3/5
I think... I actually liked it?
The first half made me smile, but the second half made me groove.
Mike Ladd
1/5
This was a frustrating listen. The lad(d) seems like a thoughtful lyricist, attempting to do something a bit innovative, and there’s enough interesting production going on (at times) that my cursor should be nowhere near the one star button.
And yet, particularly from the 10-minute instrumental track onwards, the album seems to lose all focus and often descends into maddeningly repetitive loops or ambient lift music.
1.5
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
I haven't enjoyed the various Wu-Tang solo albums I've reviewed and after hearing about 15 of the 36 Chambers I was resigned to not liking this either. The murky production just didn't do it for me.
Then, halfway through, it got really good! Track after track of catchy beats and engaging rapping. I think having the whole clan together adds a welcome sense of camaraderie, energy and humour that the solo records lack.
Suddenly I'm starting to understand the hype.
3.5
The Sugarcubes
3/5
I think this has enough about it to warrant inclusion on merit, rather than just because it's by ‘that band Björk was in’. There’s certainly a unique identity there in terms of musical and lyrical style, and the results, like sugar cubes, can be sweet. Take Deus for example, which is a catchy tune and also the right kind of wacky (*really* clean) to raise a smile.
Sugar cubes don't contain enough nutrition to sustain you for a long time, however, and too much can become a bit sickly (i.e. some of those zany spoken word bits border on irritating after a while).
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
I've enjoyed both Pet Shop Boys albums I've heard on here more than I expected to. As much as I can take or leave the garish Eurotrance production (which admittedly is a large part of the PSB package), I think the actual tunes are great. They just seemed to have a real knack for churning out big, catchy pop hooks (with a bit of heart at the centre).
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
2/5
I couldn’t really get into this from the get-go, and, unlike the Moby Grape album that came up, a third listen didn’t make me change my mind.
Seems like a prime example of an album that could arguably be considered a ‘must hear’ because of the context around the artist’s state of mind etc, but that’s a very different thing from being one of the 1001 ‘best’ albums.
Air
4/5
Ok. So. I’m a fan of Air and was expecting to give this, their most famous album, big points.
I particularly enjoy their playful, squelchy pop songs (like Sexy Boy and Kelly Watch the Stars) and their emotional slow-burners (like Venus and Playground Love). Moon Safari features a couple of the former but is short on the latter, and most of the rest is made up of the kind of mid-tempo easy listening fare that contains more than a whiff of ‘dinner party background music’, which I’m always a bit snooty about.
With that in mind this feels more like a 3.5 star album than a masterpiece… but I will round up because they do it with such style, and as dinner party background music goes, you can’t do much better than this.
Sonic Youth
2/5
I guess it's time to accept it: I'll probably never 'get' Sonic Youth like I hoped I would. 4 albums now, and they've all offered glimpses of style, or the occasional good tune, but left me somewhat unsatisfied. Which is a shame because it often feels like they *could* be great, with a bit of refining.
The more melodic, musical tracks are fine but completely unmemorable, while the abrasive, 'noise rock' elements aren't visceral or focused enough to really get the adrenaline pumping. Most of this particular album seems
stuck somewhere between those two stools, and the result is a bit of a mess, to my ears.
2.5
The Monks
4/5
These guys honed a sound that touches on 50s doo-wop, 60s pop and 70s punk, yet sounds completely cohesive. Feral but tight, rhythmic but tuneful.
Plus they all cut their hair like monks and the singer was called Gary Burger. All in all, a lot to like: 3.5 stars.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
The first four tracks are stonkers and set the tone for a rollicking good time, but the quality does dip after that. The rest of the album is still a good time, but one you probably won’t remember for too long once its over.
Incredible Bongo Band
2/5
I usually take a 'why not?' attitude to weird, high-concept shit - especially where excessive percussive elements are involved. But as I listened to this inoffensive but dispensable album I confess I did find myself asking 'why?' - regarding both its conception and its inclusion on the list.
Primal Scream
3/5
Yes, there are some cool sounds on here (I personally prefer the eerier electronic tracks like Higher Than the Sun to the gospel-tinged love-ins like Movin' on Up), and I appreciate that it's an ambitious melting pot of styles that was probably a good few years ahead of its time.
But boy, could it have used some editing! Seriously.
3.5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
This contains a nice mix of social commentary with lighter, more upbeat themes, and musically it’s perfectly competent.
But… I felt there was something missing. Ironically it didn’t really ‘catch fire’ the way my favourite reggae does - almost as if every track was a few bpm slower than it needed to be. A shame, as I wanted to really like it. 400 Years and No More Trouble were my highlights.
3 / 3.5
Destiny's Child
2/5
I’ve noticed that most of the turn of the century pop albums on this list seem to take a ‘some killer, lots of filler’ approach, whereby there are a handful of big singles that helped define the sound of the era, but not much of substance beyond that. And so it is here.
I’ve never been a fan of the standard pop/R&B production of the time, while the lyrics are mostly well-meaning but sometimes misguided and usually kinda simplistic. And/or, y’know, I’m just not the target audience. But all the same I thought it was ok - I’ve heard plenty worse albums!
2.5
Bob Dylan
3/5
I always thought I’d struggle with this album due to its somewhat austere title and artwork. More fool me for judging a book by its cover - it was actually surprisingly accessible, in part down to some uncharacteristically simple lyrics (although the jury’s still out on this approach as I’m not entirely sure it suits him; I found myself scanning for irony or double-meanings where probably none existed).
Anyway, I thought the album started strong but lost a bit of its lustre in the middle. There’s some good stuff on here as per, but not on par with Bob’s best.
3.5
Os Mutantes
4/5
60s psych-pop plus Brazilian grooves? It's a yes from me.
On several occasions I heard The Beatles, but at times there were traces of Small Faces, Donavan, The Animals and more - all with a Latin twist and unique experimental flair to rival their English-speaking contemporaries.
Lauryn Hill
3/5
Neo soul is very much not my bag, so it's no surprise that parts of this didn’t interest me. *But* there were quite a few decent tracks scattered throughout the album that did. It sounds musically and lyrically mature - impressive for someone in their early 20s - and it's undeniably impressive and influential piece of work, all told.
Furthermore, in a rare twist, I actually enjoyed the skits; rather than breaking the momentum I think the classroom discussion theme holds the album together well and is kinda endearing rather than irritating.
3.5 stars.
Pere Ubu
3/5
1006 albums ago, when I heard my first Pere Ubu album, I didn't expect to be hearing another 4 years on. But here we are.
I gave Dub Housing a puny 2 stars, but I'm giving this a mighty 3. Why? Maybe it's because I've become more charitable in my old age. Maybe its because, as their debut album, this one feels more pioneering. But I think it's mostly because The Modern Dance is bigger on actual tunes and smaller (with the notable exception of Sentimental Journey) on extended passages of experimental noise.
The Sonics
2/5
Probably a small step towards the rawness of garage rock/proto-punk etc, but it's still very much at the '50s rock 'n' roll' end of the scale (as evidenced by all the covers), so it doesn't seem like an especially significant album to me.
Quicksilver Messenger Service
1/5
It isn't that the trails are *un*happy, as such... let's just say that this album is 'not my jam' 😏
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
2/5
Oh boy. This is VERY country - gritty or dirty it ain't - and there's a LOT of it. Bad start.
But as far as positives go I liked many of the instrumental numbers, and was generally charmed by the quaintness of it all, particularly the earnest, amiable pre-song chatter. I have no idea who most of these people were but the sense of reverence between (who I presume to be) veteran bluegrass legends did rub off on me somewhat. Happy enough to have been introduced to this one, even though I won't return to it.
2.5
Black Sabbath
4/5
I wanted to like this album, and I do, but... the praise seems a bit OTT; it's not one of the best albums of all time. Even the three big hits aren't quite as thrilling as I remembered - beyond the iconic riffs there are long sections of rather lumbering, meat and potatoes rock. Nor is it as pioneering as is claimed, given the hard rock albums that had come before (including their own debut).
Still decent though! It grew on me with each listen. The quieter bits provide a welcome counterbalance to the rockin' they're known for.
Grateful Dead
1/5
What was it about the bloody Fillmores that inspired all these bands to record interminable jam sessions? Were they constructed entirely from weed or something?
Occasionally an actual song would break out, but that's insufficient compensation for having to sit through 23 minutes of fluff on track 1 (let alone the 8 minutes of guitar feedback).
Grateful Dead have had two shots at impressing me now, and they've blown them both.
1.5
The Incredible String Band
3/5
I think I may have seen ISB live once (when I was quite young and they were presumably quite old / replaced), but haven't ever listened to them properly on record.
Still, once I put this album on, it didn't take long to understand what sort of music we're dealing with here. There's plenty of this sort of witchy / childlike / old-timey British village fete / pagan wicker man ritual stuff scattered around the 60s psychedelic landscape. The main difference here is that while most other instances felt like rock bands trying on a bit of musical whimsy as a fancy dress costume, these guys seem like they lived and breathed this stuff 24/7. Maybe this apparent authenticity comes from the fact they're a folk band? Or because they're Scottish...?
It could all be pretentious, tuneless rubbish, of course… but on the whole I think I kinda like it - even if some tracks are more successful (/listenable) than others.
Doves
3/5
I know someone whose favourite band is Doves... I respect them, and at their best I can almost see why someone might rate them that highly, but they're just not a top-tier, two-albums-on-the-generator kind of band, for me.
There Goes The Fear and Pounding are great singles, and the band do a pretty good job at maintaining a lush, atmospheric vibe throughout the album, but the magic isn't there consistently.
3 / 3.5
Tears For Fears
4/5
I really enjoyed the first 3 tracks. It made me think that, while most music of the era was packaged in that 80s pop sheen, there was still plenty of strong, substantial songwriting happening within those confines.
Admittedly the next two tracks did lean *too* heavily on the dubious production tropes of the decade (at both the dance-y and the ballad-y ends of the spectrum) for my liking, but things picked up again after that.
3.5, rounded up.
Joanna Newsom
4/5
One of the side effects of having to resort to YouTube to hear the day's album is happening upon a comments section made up of those who are listening of their own free will, rather than at the behest of an almighty album-generating overlord. The comments section for 'Ys' is full of people who *really* like it, often in a 'this record changed my life' kinda way.
Listening to it for the first time, I think I get why it could be that sort of album for some people. It's kind of beguiling (in the way that harps and strings often can be, when used well), and its unwieldy scope and structure also help give it a sense of otherworldliness - of something new and different, maybe containing wisdom from beyond this realm? It's unique enough to certainly be a valid candidate for a list of must-hear albums, whether you enjoy the music or not.
Me? This kind of stuff is often up my street, and there are times where I can definitely feel the magic. I wasn't entranced the whole time, but I didn't get bored either, despite the song lengths, which feels like a success.
There's still a lot more to unpack, both musically and lyrically, and maybe at some point I'll dedicate the time to doing that. Frankly, I doubt I'll reach the same level of worship found in the YouTube comments section... but then again I might, so I want to hedge my bets, just in case.
Kings of Leon
3/5
Kings of Leon were among my favourite bands for a couple of years in my teens, but they don’t warrant 3 albums on the generator (especially if one of them isn’t Because of the Times).
There are some good rockers (Molly’s Chambers, Holy Roller Novocaine) and some good slowies (Trani, Talihina Sky), but they pretty much only knew two moves at this point - they’d find more nuance and variation over the next couple of albums (and then start to lose it after that).
This was probably a welcome shot in the arm to the music scene at the time is was released, though. Let’s give it 3.5 stars: a bit better than Only by the Night, not quite as good as Aha Shake Heartbreak.
The Police
3/5
For the last four years I've wondered if I should've given Synchronicity a 4 instead of a 3.5. It's really kept me up at night.
Thought this was finally my chance to redress the balance and put on record that I do actually rate The Police rather highly. Message In a Bottle and Walking On The Moon: great - classic singles to build a classic album around, right?
Alas, beyond those two it's just a bit average, really. Bring On The Night and a couple of others are nice, but the Stewart Copeland-penned tracks let the side down. Apparently they were scratching around for material at this point, and it kinda shows.
Japan
3/5
Not at all surprised to see the Roxy Music producer worked on this - the similarities are clear in those lush, textured soundscapes. While I don’t think any of the songs are particularly great the music *is* easy on the ear, if that makes sense. Those repeated instrumental patterns become quite hypnotic.
Still, I’m hopeful my first experience of Japan (the country) next month will be a little more memorable than my first experience of Japan (the band).
Motörhead
2/5
It's a similar review to the Ace of Spades album: enjoyable for a while, but so samey.
The playing is tight and the sound is pretty crisp, but it's not even documenting a single continuous gig. I really don't see what this is bringing to the list that AoS alone wasn't.
2.5
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
More Ali Farka Toure, is it? I’m cool with that. There were some lovely examples of those summery African grooves I like, as well as some darker, more brooding grooves that I also quite like. Tracks 5 and 9 seem like a harmonious blend of African and American blues - is the latter Cooder’s influence? I find it hard to tell.
It gets a bit repetitive at times, especially in the middle of the album, but as I mainly had this on in the background while working I can’t say that bothered me too much.
3.5
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
My least favourite of the 3 PSB albums I’ve heard - who’d’ve thunk I’d prefer the balls-out disco anthems to the (slightly) more subtle and restrained stuff? There are still a few bangers on this one (like Being Boring and How Can You Expect To Be Taken Seriously?), but also some more forgettable tunes that aren’t strong enough to distract from those gaudy synth sounds.
2.5 / 3
Laura Nyro
3/5
This is all new to me. Judging by the cover alone I'd have guessed this was a 21st century album. Listening to the music alone... I'd guess it *could* be one those retro-leaning contemporary singers, but I'd probably have said it was released even earlier than '68.
After a couple of straight-up soul numbers, though, I realised there’s some more forward-thinking stuff going on, both in terms of the lyrics and the frequent tempo/time-signature changes in the music.
The slower songs didn’t grab me and Laura’s voice (which often resembles a more forceful Joni Mitchell) grated at times. But overall it was an intriguing discovery of an artist I’m surprised I’d never heard of before.
Duran Duran
3/5
I’ve never really been interested in Duran Duran; I guess I had them pigeonholed as slightly naff 80s pop (as did the contemporary critics, it seems).
There’s no doubt a bit of truthful fire to my presumptive, somewhat snobbish smoke, but this album ain’t half bad! The closing duo of Save a Prayer and The Chauffeur was particularly enjoyable.
Ghostface Killah
3/5
Does every Wu Tang member get a solo album on the generator so nobody feels left out?
This is by no means bad, it's just one of those that doesn't scream 'all-timer' to me. Apparently the storytelling is top-tier but I didn't really get that from my 2 listens. Maybe that's on me.
There are a few standout moments (like Be Easy & the maths lesson on Kilo), and I preferred the vibrant production on this - especially the MF Doom contributions - to those murky 90s WTC solo albums, so I gotta rank it slightly higher.
5/5
I make no apologies for loving Muse. They're great musicians, have written many of this century's best riffs, and they're not scared to take musical and lyrical ideas to extremes. What's that - too OTT for you? Too ridiculous? Grow up. I for one get enough mundanity from real life, thank you very much. God forbid a band makes music that requires you to loosen up, suspend your disbelief for a bit, and imagine you're starring in a sci-fi epic rather than aimlessly whiling your life away in your dull little town.
Anyway, Absolution and Origin of Symmetry are their real 5-star albums (shameful omissions from the 1001 both), but BHAR has a good claim to the bronze medal. It seasons their signature space rock sound with tasteful sprinkles of synths, pop melodies and Queen-esque harmonies (before they followed all these directions a bit too far in future releases).
4.5
Baaba Maal
2/5
This should be up my street and it was for a bit, but by the end I wasn't really feeling it. It's too long, for one, but also the more 'modern' production choices don't really mesh, for me, and sound a bit tacky.
Miriam Makeba
4/5
There's more information about this album on the cover than on its wikipedia entry. Guess I'll have to actually listen and judge for myself. FINE.
Oh it’s quite eclectic. There’s a mix of covers and originals, English and African languages, acapella and accompaniment (though always tasteful and charmingly understated). There are spiritual, almost Christmassy sounding hymns alongside dark laments and quirky novelty numbers - all tied together by a soothing vocal.
I found most of the styles enjoyable to be honest.
Baaba Maal
3/5
Two Baaba Maal (and three African) albums in three days! I prefer the more traditional (less poppy) sounds on this to the Lam Toro album. There are still times when the constant repetition becomes a bit wearying, but I thought the vibes in tracks 6-8 were spot on.
Björk
4/5
Many great artists start off making somewhat straightforward music and go on to experiment with more interesting and challenging material a few albums down the line. Björk started at the ‘more interesting and challenging’ sweet spot and proceeded to get increasingly more challenging thereafter.
I mean, even bangers like Big Time Sensuality can’t disguise the fact that Debut is still quite an odd album, with its mix of techno, trip-hop, jazz and more - and that’s before factoring in Björk’s particular vocal and lyrical quirks.
And yet, it’s still her most accessible album. Well, this or Post. Take the high points from both and you’ve got a 5-star album - and I’d happily award it such because I think she’s legitimately some kind of musical/artistic savant. But even her most accessible albums contain moments where I’m forced to admit ‘I’m not really feeling this’.
4.5
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Every Zep album contains some classics and this has four of them. Babe I’m Gonna Leave You… just so good. For a debut it’s seriously impressive, and it *sounds* great too, with tight playing enhanced further by forward-thinking recording trickery.
On the other hand, the remaining 5 tracks are a marked step down, with a couple of them being bog-standard blues numbers - their very best albums are more consistent and more consistently original. This album also leans on other people’s songwriting a few times, which may detract from its status a bit?
3.5 / 4
Blondie
5/5
One of those that was practically guaranteed four stars from the singles alone. Heart of Glass is an A*; One Way or Another, Hanging on the Telephone and Sunday Girl are all A’s.
At first I was underwhelmed by the album tracks: a solid array of well-crafted power pop, sure, but they felt very much like the ‘supporting cast’ to the main stars of the record. After a few listens, though, I decided that Fade Away and Radiate was really rather good, and that Will Anything Happen? had a bit of that star quality too… So yeah, I talked myself into awarding a 4.5, rounded up.
Because at any rate, this process had taught me that there are *very* few albums that are absolute gold from start to finish, and also that the difference between being underwhelmed by an album track and being fond of one is often just time, and repeated listens.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Can't say I was thrilled to see yet another Sonic Youth album pop up. I feel like I've made my judgement on them by now, having given them numerous chances.
To give Dirty its due, though, it might just be the best of the bunch (with potentially the best album cover - or second best, behind Goo).
There are more tracks here that grab you with a strong hook, or purposeful rhythm, or chorus, and fewer that descend into noise and/or forget to include a tune. Was this Butch Vig's influence? In contrast to their other albums, I thought the tracks with Thurston Moore on vocals were often stronger than the Kim Gordon leads.
Overall this is the first Sonic Youth record where I felt the style and substance - the noise and the music - all work together successfully (more often than not).
3.5 / 4
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
3/5
Not into 20-minute prog medleys as a rule, but hey, this was alright. The jazzy / mathy bits would actually be quite en vogue these days, and I appreciated them mixing things up and keeping it short and fun on side two.
Mainly though I like the drawing of that badass armadillo tank.
The Icarus Line
1/5
I haven't looked it up but I'd bet good money this album was removed from later editions of the book.
It should be at least a little bit my sort of thing but I'm genuinely surprised by how unremarkable I continue to find it, even after multiple listens.
1.5
David Gray
4/5
I've got a soft spot for David Gray. He may have been the harbinger of a slew of bland MOR singer-songwriters but I think ol' Davey himself is a real one, steadily going about his craft for a long time both before and since his period of unexpected stardom, and writing some excellent songs in the process.
His very best tunes aren't on this album but his biggest ones are, and for the most part he's on fine form here. There's a run of tracks in the middle which are a bit nothing-y though, and that knocks White Ladder from a 4 down to a 3.5, for me. But I'll round it back up again as a 'local lad & general good egg' bonus.
Astrud Gilberto
2/5
I felt like the title wrote cheques that the music couldn't always cash, but there were a few fun beach-ready tunes at least.
Loses credit because every track's a cover, or at least penned by someone else.
2.5
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
I probably wouldn’t have guessed at the start of this Springsteen odyssey that my favourite album of his would, in fact, turn out to be the most obvious one.
But it’s the one that plays out most like a Greatest Hits - and that’s not just because a lot of his greatest hits are indeed on this record, but because all of the other tracks sound like they could be singles, too.
This feels like the album where Bruce really nailed writing a pop hook (Dancing In The Dark) and learnt the value of musical restraint and concision (I’m On Fire), complementing tauter, flab-free versions of his usual working class Americana anthems.
The Byrds
4/5
Ha, of course there’s time for one final Byrds album before I finish this whole charade. But lo! The generator has once again saved the best for last. The airy jangle-folk and country tunes that I didn’t much care for in their other albums are at a minimum, with pop and psych songs pleasingly at the fore. Plus, there’s only one cover! And it’s a good’un anyway. The singles are the best tracks but I enjoyed the album as a whole.
I’m giving it 3.5 stars, but I’ll round up because I know the surviving members of The Byrds will be chuffed to finally get a decent score from me at the fifth time of asking.
Brian Eno
2/5
I’m a fan of David Byrne, I’m increasingly becoming (thanks to the generator) a fan of Brian Eno, and I’m even a fan of some of the twisted grooves served up on this album, like on the wonderfully deranged Mea Culpa. But I don’t think I’m a particularly big fan of MLITBOG as a whole - the impact wears off after a few tracks.
It’s still worth hearing as a document of then-revolutionary sampling techniques, but to these modern ears it doesn’t sound like anything special today.
2.5
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2/5
I’d describe this as a blend of gloomy, Gary Numan-esque experimental electronics and cheesy 80s synth pop. It sort of works at times but each style has been done better by others. I’ve heard enough to suggest there might be another OMD album out there that I’d enjoy more, though.
Stan Getz
3/5
Ermmm alright as these things go I guess?
Samba Dees Days was a good vibe. I drifted a bit as it went on but the album is short and snappy enough that I never crossed the line into ‘that’s just far too much jazz’ or ‘stop that bossa nova now please’.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
4/5
Enjoyed this. Yes, the tracks are probably all a couple of minutes longer than necessary, but I like how the momentum builds to a devotional frenzy on many of them. It’s very melodically pleasing too.
So I’ll rate it highly because it’s good, because it’s a horizon-expanding new discovery for me, and because I think it’s been harshly scored by others. And because just look at that those magnificent chubby cheeks!
a-ha
3/5
This contains some good songs, some pretty ordinary songs, and one absolute all-timer. If you’ve already perfected the pop song formula on track one you can probably be forgiven for letting your standards slip after that.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
If your album is 7 songs long you can’t afford any duds, and luckily there aren’t any here: it’s a mixture of grungey rock classics and country tunes that sounded ordinary at first but were actually quite decent once I got to know them.
Extended jams aren’t usually my favourite thing but generally the chord progressions here are strong enough, and the guitars rugged enough, to make them enjoyable. Plus, the big choruses (when they eventually return) are a release worth waiting for.
4.5
The Libertines
3/5
I’ve never been fully sold on these likely Libertine lads - I think critics were wooed by the ramshackle rock’n’roll romance of their sweaty shows and offstage antics rather than the quality of their music.
That’s not to say they were complete Emperor’s New Clothes though; there are plenty of good songs on here (more than I expected to be honest), with Music When the Lights Go Out the pick of the bunch.
If they cut out some of the generic, ‘could be any 00s indie band’ filler they could’ve had a great album here.
3 / 3.5
Thelonious Monk
2/5
As ever with jazz I don’t have the ear or the context to judge whether this album is objectively ‘good’ or important (though I’ve no doubt Thelonius was both); I can only try and judge whether I enjoyed hearing it.
I liked tracks 1 and 5, which were upbeat and had strong, angular hooks (are these the titular ‘Brilliant Corners?’). My interest dipped during the solos though, and the other tracks faded into background listening too easily for me.
A pretty neutral 2.5 stars.
Joni Mitchell
3/5
There are a couple of tracks on here (The Jungle Line & Shadows and Light) that stand out for being musically interesting, but the rest of the music is in the same jazzy vein that mostly (not always) seems to exist just to provide a rather vanilla canvas for the lyrics, rather than adding any energy or emotional value of its own. Frustrating, as the songs probably deserve to be engaged with more.
Beatles
4/5
This album *almost* has a strong claim at being the Beatles’ best. It marks the start of their untouchable run of boundary-pushing releases in the second half of the 60s, and is just a consistently enjoyable and interesting set of songs.
In My Life, Norwegian Wood, Girl, I’m Looking Through You, Michelle, If I Needed Someone - all standouts. Maybe only the first of those is an all-timer, though, and there *are* a couple of less than stellar tracks on here (What Goes On, Run For Your Life)... plus, I’ve given top marks to 3 Beatles albums already and something doesn’t feel quite right about making this the fourth.
4.5
Joe Ely
3/5
Can’t decide how I feel about this. My first thought was ‘this is actually quite fun, despite it being the kind of cheesy country I don’t usually like’.
Second thought (around tracks 2 and 3): ‘actually this is legitimately good, not just a guilty pleasure!’
Third thought was ‘ah… we’re back to cheesy country again, but now I’m enjoying it slightly less’.
Tempted to give 2 stars but that would probably be somewhat disingenuous, as I did have a nice time listening to it for the most part.
Fugees
4/5
Good album. I liked the songs I knew (the intro to Ready or Not is an especially haunting moment in context, when it emerges a couple of tracks in) and I liked the songs I didn’t.
A bit more ‘alternative hip-hop’ than I probably expected from a record that broke into the mainstream in such a big way, and that’s a good thing. I’m also suitably impressed with Lauryn Hill’s rapping (as I was on ‘Miseducation’ tbh).
Grant Lee Buffalo
3/5
The band name only rings the faintest of bells, which suggests to me that time hasn’t deemed them to be a ‘must hear’. Although I’m inclined to agree that there’s nothing special about this album, I can at least see why it would’ve been highly rated in 1993 when there probably wasn’t much else going on.
There’s some solid alt-rock songwriting, performed with a bit of gusto and, at times, a lovely falsetto. Decent enough.
Liz Phair
3/5
This is a new one to me, a musical blind spot. I’d usually see the long track list as a negative but in this case it worked in Liz’s favour; I wasn’t really feeling it at first but over time I came to like it. It’s one of those albums where the whole package is greater than the sum of its parts; it doesn’t contain loads of great songs IMO but does welcome you into the artist’s world/head for a while.
All of 90s guitar music seems to be present here, but it also sounds like it could be contemporary - the lo-fi sound and unfiltered lyrics are very ‘now’. She even predates Alanis on the latter front, so presumably deserves some credit as a trailblazer.
The Triffids
3/5
Something about the vaudeville, OTT nature of this music appeals to me (moreso than the straight-up pop bits), but I struggled to get into it at first.
There isn't anything as good as Wide Open Road on here but I enjoyed Jerdacuttup Man and Unmade Love most, and a few others grew on me.
It took a few listens to drag it up to a 3 but I think I'm there now.
The 13th Floor Elevators
2/5
Everything about this, from the artwork to the band name to the music, feels like a pastiche of a typical 60s psychedelic band, perhaps created for an Austin Powers-style movie. But nope, this was a real, legit group from the earliest days of psychedelia, nailing the whole look and feel of the scene in one fell swoop.
The actual tunes are a bit average to be honest - there are far better 60s psych records out there - but it has its moments, and surely deserves credit for its pioneering use of the 'electric jug'.
2.5.